By Ben Munyao
When I see the sun, I remember who I used to be,
A child with pockets full of dreams,
Running barefoot through the morning dew,
Believing the world was kinder than it seemed.
Back when happiness needed no explanation,
And a simple smile could brighten an entire day,
When home was more than four walls,
And love was something we never had to chase away.
When I see the sun, I remember yesterday,
The familiar voices that have slowly faded,
The laughter around an old wooden table,
And the little moments I never knew I would miss.
I remember faces that time has carried away,
Hands I once held but cannot hold again,
Promises whispered beneath quiet skies,
And memories that still visit me like gentle rain.
Oh, how quickly the seasons learned to change.
The streets remain, but the footsteps are different.
The old songs still play, but something is missing.
Even the places where we once laughed
Have become museums of beautiful sadness.
Sometimes I wish I could borrow one afternoon
From the years that disappeared without goodbye,
To sit beside those who are now only memories,
To tell them that I still carry their names,
And that growing older has taught me
Some goodbyes never truly end.
When I see the sun, I do not only see tomorrow;
I see every yesterday that brought me here.
I see the tears I swallowed in silence,
The battles nobody knew I was fighting,
And the little courage that kept me breathing
When life forgot to be gentle.
Still, I welcome the morning.
For somewhere between yesterday’s sorrow and tomorrow’s hope,
I have learned that life is both a wound and a wonder.
And when the sun rises again,
I will smile, even with a heart full of memories,
Because I have lived, I have loved, I have lost,
And somehow, beautifully, I am still here.
Photo by Ken Mwaura on Pexels.com
