Poem - Your Finest Hour

For my friend Robert who is caring for a dying mother and is struggling with life AS WE ALL DO AT TIMES:

You ask yourself
Why me?
Why do I have to be so strong?
I didn't ask for this
I didn't deserve this
Yet here I am
With the walls closing in
There is no room for my life
Only my mind
Only memories
Only giving
Only caring
But I cannot see
There is no space for me
Why God?
Why?
You have chosen the wrong one
I am not that strong
When my eyes open
I remember what I want to forget
What curse have you brought?
Where happy memories bring sorrow
Yet there must be some good
Some good to happy memories
Does the curse actually sustain me?
Does it?
Is that what carries me through?
How can I know?
You have chosen me for this test
Why?

Because my child
You are stronger than you know
You are strong enough to be the last
You are strong enough to carry the legacy
You are strong enough to put your life on hold
You are strong enough to put love above all else
Even your life
And your future
You must trust me my child
Trust that you will not love in vain
Trust that you will not sacrifice and die
You must live
And see honor
In your life
In your despair
Though you fail to see what I see
I tell you now
You are living in your finest hour
Nothing you have done compares
This is the moment of human worth
Yes you cry
Yes you hurt
But you inspire as never before
You are being watched
And admired
Because others wonder
If they will be chosen
As you
And they are afraid
And so
You must continue to believe
In yourself
And in life
Your life
Because from this day forward
You will be known
As the strong one