SAYING GOODBYE

It was almost 30 years ago
when I bought that black sweater.
Over the years,
it has kept me warm,
gone on dates,
seen me through
good times and bad.
My black sweater stayed
with me longer than
some friends.

Then the day came,
that I had to say goodbye.
I was so worn out and tattered
I could no longer wear it
not even at home.
There was something about saying
goodbye
to this sweater that had seen me through
30 years of life.

So as I prepared to let it go
I took a moment to give thanks
for all the dates it had been on with me
for the days it had kept me warm,
for the tears and the laughter it has shared, and
for so much more then
I could remember
or I could put into words.

As we release the old,
may we remember to honor
all it has seen us through
and give thanks for the ways
we have been served and blessed