I Would (An Anniversary Thing...)

I would
take the same path I once took in younger years
scattered
littered with thorns
gravel
broken glass
boulders
small stones
slowly working my way through the labyrinth
feeling my way through the dead ends
until I found the right path
the exit
at the end
would find you there
waiting for me

I would
give up my simple minded vacation plans
just a day of fighting traffic to get to the Jersey shore
hardly a day of relaxation
to pack and plan a year in advance
fly through the friendly 
cloudless skies
landing next to a cruise ship port
next stop
sun
sand
sangria
to my adopted home of Jamaica
among other tasty
Caribbean destinations

I would
stand by your side again and again
tears and/or rain clouding our vision
together
sending loved ones back to His garden
selfishly wishing for one more collective moment
for them to witness the moments back then
and moments today
but they did leave their love and blessings
the comfort we grasp
the hedge of protection we needed
to get to this milestone
today

I would
experience once again that valley of death
the blackness of many noon day hours 
often wishing for death to come and rescue me
frozen in my tracks along the way
fearing evils that I could not fight alone
but the fog finally lifted
sunlight
braking through the trees
illuminating my pathway once again
and so I pressed on
thanking God that I did press on
for you were there at the end of the road
waiting for me

I would
once again
stand barefoot on the beach at the edge of that shore
dressed in white
endlessly searching for you along the hills and mountains
waiting for you to emerge from the shadows
and clouds of my doubt
my belief in love 
was once again restored 
five years ago

and I did

you did

we did

we still are

and I wouldn't take nothin' for my journey