Wait for Me

by Tia Louise

Dolly says love is like a butterfly, soft and gentle as a sigh, but from what I’ve seen of love, I think it’s more like a tornado, shocking and violent and so powerful it can rip your soul out of your mouth…

“I want to kiss you.” My voice cracks roughly. I barely recognize it.

“Dolly Parton says you’ll never do a whole lot unless you’re brave enough to try…”

Dolly Parton says a strong woman looks a challenge in the eye and winks.

Her gorgeous body is spread out before me on the bed like an uncharted land I want to claim.

Heaven is finding the thing you can’t live without and being able to hold it. Hell is knowing you’ll have to let it go.

“It’s not fair to tell her I love her and leave. It’s not fair to ask her to wait. I don’t know what might happen in the next eighteen months.”

“Mamma says if you see somebody who needs a smile, you should give ‘em one of yours.”

“Remember it’s the darkest nights that produce the brightest stars. If he’s showing you his true colors, believe him.” “But how do I know which are the true ones?” “You’ll know.”

“I love you, Daddy.” It’s the sweetest whisper, and my heart melts completely in her hand.

“Sawyer said sometimes good people get hit hard. We have to forgive them because we never know when it might be our turn to need forgiveness.”

I’ve learned love is a tornado, destructive and fierce and powerful. It’s also a butterfly, soft, gentle, beautiful. But to get to the butterfly, you must go through the tornado. Love has to change you. You have to grow, and it’s difficult and life-altering and scary and lonely… but coming out on the other side, we’ve spread our wings.

Family doesn’t stop going just because you can’t see it. Family is something that is unbreakable, forever. It’s in the trees, stretching up to the heavens. It’s tradition and laughter and love. My final thanks is to them. We’re starting a new family, and this family isn’t afraid of the tornado. This family can fly.

“My daddy’s not a prince,” she answers sweetly. “He’s a hero.