When I was younger, I thought I knew
The meaning of life, and all it contained.
The joys and the sorrows all centered on me;
Life began there, and there it remained.

Then I had a child, and all of that changed.
Life (of course!) now centered on him.
And I began to remember being son to my dad,
Though my memories were understandably dim.

But today I stood quietly in the bedroom door,
And as I gazed at my father and son,
The hand of the new life reached tentatively out,
And grasped the hand of the older one.

I saw at once how much I had not seen;
That my life was but a link in a chain,
A chain that linked back before my Dad,
And through my son will link on again!

© 2001 Peggy Swycaffer

Your hand reaches for mine,
But I am not there.
Your little hand waves,
Grasping at air.

That should not happen!
You should never be lonely!
But your life can't depend
On having me only.

I can't always be there
As much as I'd like to,
But, my child, there's a legacy
We're thankful to give you.

A hand once held my hand,
When mine was so small;
It was there when I needed,
Helped me up from each fall.

So reach out your hand, child,
With no fuss nor bother;
And allow me to introduce
Your loving Grandfather!

© 2001 Peggy Swycaffer