THE LAST LETTER

My Love,

"In your mind's eye, look at our piece of sand

at the edge of the rolling ocean.

Remember the night we kissed on that shore, 

so black a night with only the stars for light?

We dashed down the beach in foaming water,

then collapsed with hoots of love and laughter."

     Remember how we swam there so free of the world, alone?  You undid my hair and brushed it loose, and then laughed because the breeze was stronger than my attempts to brush it back.  With a gentle touch you moved your hand across my face, and taking my hair, you held it back as you kissed me over and over.

     When we were done, I looked at you, and in your face, I saw your children's.  My heart was hit with unspeakable pain.  I knew in that second what I had tried to deny, that for your sake and theirs, this had to pass, it had to end.  I felt, my darling, that I would die.

     As always, my love, we said goodbye, but this time I was sobbing while letting you go.  Feeling more deeply than ever before, that last embrace till you let me go, I said, "Oh, my love, I can only hate that this moment has come and this must be our last embrace.  I looked into your eyes tonight, and though I wanted to deny it, I saw your children's eyes reflected there."

     You nodded, for you had begun to feel the same.  You just lacked the courage to cause me pain.  Before we parted we agreed to try that next-to-impossible thing.  We had to try to learn to be "friends."  But I cried so hard, remember?  I thought I would die.

      Oh, my precious love, my adored love, my cherished love, time has passed and we have survived.  But to survive the time coming, I had to tell you again, I love you, I cherish you, and I will die with you, only you, in my heart...You took me to the highest high and let me soar with you there until Time said, "Come back, come back to earth...come back."  And still, how I miss you, oh, how I miss you, and those flights we took as I soared with you.

     Remember as you look at me now that I am yours, always yours.  Nothing changes in my heart as I do the thing I find most preposterous:  to try to persuade myself that "we're not lovers, no, we're just friends."  But let the truth be known between us now.  Through all the years that lay before us, always and forever you will be my love, even as your eyes still tell me I am yours.  With this marvelous secret between us, my dearest love, help me as I will try to help you, to learn together this strange thing called "Friends." 

Your V. 

                                                                                                                                            

"Love that we can not have is the one that lasts the longest, hurts the deepest and feels the strongest."