A Fearful Thing

I have a Facebook friend, Rikki, a widow about my age.  January 11th was her wedding anniversary and she posted a gorgeous picture of herself and her husband, happy and smiling and looking at each other with obvious great affection.  She wrote how very sad she was and how much she missed the love of her life.  I could feel her pain. 

I have read many poems about death and missing your loved ones and of course I say Kaddish on Friday nights in shul.  The most powerful poem/prayer I've found is also from the Reform Shabbos Siddur.  I posted it under Rikki's picture.  I hope it helps her in some small way.

It is a fearful thing
to love what death can touch.

A fearful thing
to love, hope, dream:
to be--

to be,

And! to lose.

A thing for fools, this,
and
a holy thing,

a holy thing
to love.

For your life has lived in me,
your laugh once lifted me,
your word was gift to me.

To remember this brings painful joy.

'Tis a human thing, love,
a holy thing,
to love
what death has touched.

--Anonymous