I will have to say goodbye to

Walking and petting Sadie

Digging holes for bulbs

Laying back on the tree bench

Looking up through lacy sumac leaves

Reading all day

The peace & quiet of a childless house;

Trying to lose weight;

Hot yoga

Cooking meals

The hum of my sewing machine

Verbal interactions

Driving a car

Good, full body hugs

Endless weeding

The smell of mesquite in the heat,

The eye-aching azure of desert skies

Red rock formations, swirled and worn by wind

The crash of ocean waves

The grit of sitting with toes in the sand

On the other hand,

When I die

My spirit will be on the other side,

Floating free,

Reaching through the veil to pat a hand, to squeeze a shoulder

To whisper “you are loved”