Elephant in the Room

There's an elephant in the room

It is large and squatting, so it is hard to get around it.

Yet we squeeze by with, "How are you?" and "I'm fine."

And a thousand other forms of trivial chatter.

We talk about the weather.

We talk about work.

We talk about everything else-except the elephant in the room.

There's an elephant in the room.

We all know it is there.

We are thinking about the elephant as we talk.

It is constantly on our minds.

For you see, it is a very big elephant.

But we do not talk about the elephant in the room.

Oh, please, say her name.

Oh, please, say "Barbara" again.

Oh, please, let's talk about the elephant in the room.

For if we talk about her death,

Perhaps we can talk about her life.

Can I say "Barbara" and not have you look away?

For if I cannot, you are leaving me

Alone...In a room...

With an elephant.

~Terry Kittering~

"Grief is not a problem to be cured. It is simply a statement that you have loved someone." ~ Barbara Baumgardner ~

We are not made rich by what is in our pockets but by what is in our hearts.