My Journey

Like Fire

I don't know what made me think of you today,
What brought me back to the past,
When you were a hero--
My hero--
And I was insanely proud to love you.
Because I knew that every time that pager rang,
You stopped caring about your own life,
And started caring about other people's.
You would jump into a burning building to save a child,
Or pull a body out of a mangled wreck,
Because you wore courage like fire.
You were humble enough to put others first,
To get in your full gear the day after we got back to the States,
At the beginning of July,
And walk the entire length of town
So little kids could high-five a firefighter in a parade.
You cared enough to be one of the only ones
To reach out to me when everyone else thought I was fine.
You knew how to make me smile.
You knew how to make me feel wanted.
But when my life went up in flames,
You didn't help me fight it--
You watched as it burned to the ground,
And you walked away.
That's when I needed your courage the most.
And the man fearless enough to run into burning buildings
Was afraid to look me in the eye,
Or speak to me,
Or even be in the same room as me.
But every once in a while,
I see that in you again,
That thing about you that I used to adore--
Your burning, burning passion.
I can hear it when you sing,
I can see it when you look at her,
I can feel it when I'm near you,
How everything about you burns like fire--
And God,
It makes me miss you so much.