Just for this morning, I am going to smile when I see your face and
laugh when I feel like crying.
Just for this morning, I will let you choose what you want to
wear, and smile and say how perfect it is.
Just for this morning, I am going to step over the laundry, and
pick you up and take you to the park to play.
Just for this morning, I will leave the dishes in the sink, and let
you teach me how to put that puzzle of yours together.
Just for this afternoon, I will unplug the telephone and keep the
computer off, and sit with you in the backyard and blow bubbles.
Just for this afternoon, I will not yell once, not even a tiny
grumble when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck, and I will
buy you one if he comes by.
Just for this afternoon, I won’t worry about what you are going to
be when you grow up, or second-guess every decision I have made where
you are concerned.
Just for this afternoon, I will let you help me bake cookies, and I
won’t stand over you trying to fix them.
Just for this evening, I will hold you in my arms and tell you a
story about how you were born and how much I love you.
Just for this evening, I will let you splash in the tub and not get
angry.
Just for this evening, I will let you stay up late while we sit on
the porch and count all the stars.
Just for this evening, I will snuggle beside you for hours, and
miss my favorite TV shows.
Just for this evening, when I run my finger through your hair as you
pray, I will simply be grateful that God has given me the greatest gift
ever given.
I will think about the mothers and fathers who are searching for
their missing children; the mothers and fathers who are visiting their
children’s graves instead of their bedrooms; and mothers and
fathers who are in hospital rooms watching their children suffer
senselessly, and screaming inside they can’t handle it anymore.
And when I kiss you goodnight I will hold you a little tighter, a
little longer. It is then, that I will thank God for you, and ask him
for nothing, except one more day.
(Posted with permission from the author, Sally Meyer. She wrote the poem for her son, Dhylan, who was diagnosed with autism in 1995. Thank you, Sally, for sharing this inspiring piece with the rest of us).
Just to preserve the conversation with Ms. Meyer, the exchange of comments from the original site is reproduced here:
——————-
Hello,
I am the author of the poem so listed, I would appreciate it if you could contact me about this.
If you do need proof of authorship, you only need to do a simple google search for the name Dhylan Meyer or Sally Meyer.
I wrote this poem for my son Dhylan who was diagnosed with autism in 1995. It has been published in books, newsletters and on websites with my permission.
Please contact me as soon as you can. I do not mind the poem being on your site, my intention with the poem is to help others, but I would like my name and copyright on the poem.
thanks
Sally Meyer
————–
Hi Sally, thank you for coming forward to claim authorship. As always, great and brilliant materials are circulated through emails without mentioning the author. Thank you for sharing this inspiring poem with the rest of us.
God bless and more power.
Fred