Lost in the Shadows

Sometimes the greatest distance is not measured by miles,
It is measured by the absence behind someone's smile.
A person can stand close and still be far away,
Losing what matters while chasing another day.

There is a shadow that falls when gratitude disappears,
A darkness that grows through forgotten years.
A heart can become blind to the love it once knew,
Ignoring the sacrifice that carried it through.

She gave you her strength before you had your own,
She protected your dreams before they were fully grown.
She carried your weight when you could not stand tall,
She became your shelter when you had nowhere to fall.

Her hands built the foundation beneath your feet,
Her prayers covered the battles you could not defeat.
She gave pieces of herself so you could become whole,
Investing her life into protecting your soul.

But now the years have changed the story you see,
The woman who carried you now needs you to be.
Her steps have slowed and her battles have grown,
Yet she faces them quietly, often alone.

You are only minutes away from where she lays her head,
But somehow the connection feels emotionally dead.
The phone is in your hand, the road is still there,
But convenience has replaced compassion and care.

You remember her when you need something returned,
When life becomes difficult and lessons are learned.
You come searching for the love she always gave,
The same love that protected you, the same love that saved.

One day the silence you created will speak,
When you search for a voice that you can no longer reach.
The room will be quiet, the memories will remain,
And regret will become the weight of your pain.

Do not wait until the shadows cover the light,
Do not wait until goodbye becomes your only sight.
Honor the person who gave you your beginning,
Before regret becomes the battle you are living.

Drive the distance.
Make the call.
Be present today.
Do not let pride or selfishness stand in the way.
Because the greatest loss is not losing what you own,
It is losing someone who loved you before you were known.

Do not become lost in the shadows of what you chase,
And forget the person who gave you your place.
Because when the light fades and the years have passed,
The love you ignored may become the memory you hold last.

A mother's love is a blessing too great to replace,
A gift from the heart that time cannot erase.
So while her voice can still answer and her eyes can still see,
Give her the love she once freely gave thee.