I held you your first minutes on this Earth
When you were still red and screaming and wrinkly
As most newborns are
I held your hands as you took your first steps
Cheering you the whole time
I held you close when you cried over a hurt finger
And I gave it lots of kisses to help it feel better
I held you in my arms and carried you into the Kindergarten classroom on the very first day
You were so brave you didn't even cry
Even if you did sniffle a little
I held your hand as we crossed the road on your third grade field trip
And you rolled your eyes and hissed "Mom!" at me
But I couldn't help wanted to keep you safe a little longer
I held the door open for you to leave the house for your very first middle school dance
And didn't even say anything about the crimped hair you'd worked so hard on,
But that I, personally, thought looked really stupid
I held you in the hospital while your father took his last breath
And we cried together
I held onto you to get through the time after, too
You were my reason to keep getting out of bed
I held your hair back when you came home from the prom puking
And gave my best killer death glare to your date, who had provided the booze
I didn't see him again after that night
I held big boxes full of all your things in the elevator of your new college dorm building
And laboriously unpacked each one to make your room a home
I held you when you came back for Thanksgiving and your high school boyfriend promptly dumped you
And I let you cry into my shirt and eat as much ice cream as you wanted
Ice cream heals a broken heart, you know
I held your hands and jumped up and down with you when you came home a few years later with a diamond ring on your finger
And I gave your husband-to-be my best death glare when I told him not to hurt you
He stuck around, though
I held your arm as I walked you down the aisle on your wedding day
And yes, I cried the whole time
But only because I love you so much and I'm so proud of the beautiful woman you became
I held your daughter, in her first few hours on Earth
She looked just like you when you were a baby
I'm afraid I don't have much strength for holding anymore
My hands are getting weaker everyday
But I hope I made up for it with all the times I did over the years
And now you're all grown up, and strong
And I know you'll be holding my hand as I pass to the other side
I wish I could be able to hold you and comfort you when it happens
But you have a wonderful husband and a beautiful daughter who can do that now
So I guess it's time to let go
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