Love Poem: The Key
Ashley Gleason Avatar
Written by: Ashley Gleason

The Key

The Key

Ever have a day or moment you knew was
 a milestone? A day you Felt as a person that
 you had moved on? Today was that day for 
me.
Fredy's apartment key was still on my car
 keys. I brought them everywhere, even 
though He died five years ago, We were
 together eight years ago.
I just couldn't bare to remove them. To me,
it meant removing Him or somehow removin
 his memory.  A link.  
The keys meant he had lived . Proof. Proof
 I was part of his existence. And him, part
 of mine.  No matter how grim the end was.  No matter the face I looked upon that day he was alive, no more.  Me, in Love still. 

Today, at the nursing home, I had a very
 confused but grateful patient. 
In fact, he reminded me a lot of my 
grandfather. 
Although very happy & in the moment, he 
often worry about his lost house keys.
 He was perseverating on his keys today, 
again, unable to focus on anything else 
during rehab. "My  Keys!"  he shouted,
  "God, I had keys now I will have to buy 
more!"  It was all he focused on again and
 again the whole hour.
Remembering my spare, I ran to my bag, 
removing Freddys apartment key. Why 
do I need this? I asked myself.  These keys
, to me, mean nothing but death and 
sadness. As I pulled the green top piece off 
of them, I saw an anonymous key emerge. 
The key that meant nothing to me, that 
would help and anxious, lost and dying man.
After all, Fredy was beyond help. Now Fredy was gone. But, I could use these to help others. He would want me to. It's time I 
realized that.
As I zipped the key into the old man's pocket
, his frown turned to a large smile
"Thank you you kind lady. You have eased my pain. Now I have my key. Now I am happy. I can get into my house and return
 to my family." He smiled warmly, grabbing
 my hand. 
He slouched back in his wheelchair with 
a smile, finally calm. 

I knew that the patient would not go home.
But, why not ease a worried mind with this 
key. The key that seems to be always 
tormenting him. Perhaps, we are both the 
same. Perhaps it is I who should thank 
him. Thank him for relieving me of my 
sadness.


Sent from my iPhone