You look up at me
From under the covers
And you smile, sweetly
With a strength and a sadness
That is beyond my years
Borne through trial
Through suffering and heartache
And yet, there it is
Shining in your eyes
It’s not a tagline,
nor a cheap ploy
The spark of life I see
Is pure and free
From fear and from anxiety
It’s just you,
And your appreciation of life’s beauty
And that light in your eyes
It won’t go away
Not when you can’t make it up the stairs
Not when you can’t keep your food down
Not when it hurts to breathe
Not when you know your time is close
Those are hardships you bear
And the burden is heavy
But you made your choice—
And it gives you strength—
Between a life of overcoming
And continuing to live
It’s not tomorrow,
Nor can it be found there
It’s your undivided attention
And your insatiable curiosity
It’s not a procedure
Or an experimental trial
It’s in your laugh;
In your courage and kindnesses,
In your stories and your love;
It’s just you,
And your hand on mine
Brendan Ho is an MS1 at the Perelman School of Medicine.
