The place we call home. The place we called home.

The place we call home is a beautiful garden. It is full of beautiful trees. Running waters are its trademark and fires burn still. It has laughter, it has joy, it has bliss. It has births. It has blossoms and beginnings -it has endings. It’s alive.

It’s full of tears. Unending nights and cloudy days and then the rain comes -and washes me away. Then, the rainbow -and I see you, my Queen, I see your smile. And I light up. Then the Sun again, thank Love, my son…

“You are my Sun” I said “And you are my Moon” you declared in your six year old mountain of heart - six days before you disappeared. Or was it three? And for every faded moon I see up in the sky in bright daylight in the arms of my King -my Sun- I weep. I had you in my arms and now you, have, me.

Yes, we lost track of time at the hospice -the place we called home. It was so beautiful, it was so charming, it was paradise. It fooled us. If there’s so much beauty in the world how can there be so much pain -can it be true? Am I losing you? It was so beautiful, it was so charming, it was paradise. It had music, it had magic, it had love. It had trees. It had a stream and a baby crocodile, it had violins. It had a little garden tended by little fingers that are now still. It had a dog -his name was Louis. He would play with our Queen all day long and then jump up on your bed to love you and rest -you were content.

One day you told me “Mom… I miss the rain…” I now realise you missed sticking out your tongue to taste it like you did once, after a year inside hospital rooms with cables and loneliness running through your tiny, now fragile body -I’ll never forget your face that day… or will I? I ‘m so scared I’ll forget your face that day…- You could not stand but you wanted a karate lesson -you hit as hard as you could losing your balance -you were so brave. Next day we wake and everything is dripping tears, the sky was crying, it was as if it could not wait -it couldn’t wait… it was calling for you. You felt heard, you felt seen, you were moved… so serene, were you…

Kika Georgiou