Us

Us,

We are still bound by love.

But it’s a changed love.

It’s the mornings started too early with them all over us.

It’s the echoes of stories being read to them between walls separating us.

It’s the offerings of sleep-ins without the other.

It’s the way we call each other first when we see them have a first.

It’s the smiles we save for them, and the worry for them that we share between us.

It’s the holding of them to allow the other to eat a hot meal.

It’s then swapping so we both get fed.

It’s the handholds in the car while they sleep in the back, being the first quiet moment had together in weeks.

It’s the vacuuming without asking.

It’s asking “how was your day”?

It’s saying “I’m grateful for you”.

It’s remembering, “We are a team”.

It’s listening to complaints and offering a shoulder.

It’s sitting next to each other and understanding that silence is needed.

It’s falling asleep together while scrolling for something to watch.

It’s the tears wiped, and backs rubbed in the short time we share our bed alone.

It’s the disagreements fuelled by caring too much.

It’s then carrying on parenting when we haven’t quite got over it.

It’s forgiveness before we close our eyes each night.

It’s wearing the ageing tired together, and seeing only the beauty.

It’s the strength found through sharing the hard.

It’s hardly seeing each other, but feeling closer than ever.

It’s the less of the “us” and more of the “them”.

Us.

We are still bound by love.

But it’s a changed love.

A love that can be hard to recognise.

A love that isn’t always easy.

A love of growth.

But it’s a very special love,

Because it’s love of us, for them.