My friend's death
      left his wife
      struggling to be a good widow.

Her season of despair
      lasted a long winter.
      More than two.

But the other day
      we kept a breakfast date...
      with the "widow" and new partner.

Hand-in-hand they came...
      chatting and giggling
      like nearly 60-year-old kids.

I recalled the note
      I sent on news of their wedding
      —the words of biblical Sarah:
            "After I am old
            and my husband is old
            shall I have pleasure?"
She thought the answer
      would be—
      "No."

But to everyone's joy
      life surprised her with—
      "Yes!"

Two songs come to mind
      as I face
      today's agenda.

"Nobody knows
      the trouble I've seen.
      Nobody knows my sorrow."

That song is sung
      behind many apparently
      smiling faces.

I really can't think
      of anyone
      who hasn't sung it.

The other song
      is only sung
      after long no-song times.

"I'm so glad
      trouble don't last
      always."

The main thing
      is to help people
      who are in-between songs.