All my life I had known him to be gruff
He was hard to read and stubborn
Full of pride and head-strong, he was tough on me
I can't say that there weren't times that he frightened me
I loved him, and I had heard that he loved me too
It certainly was never very evident

As I walked down the hall something caught my attention
Though only open a crack, I peered through the door
My eyes set on something foreign and the sight stole my breath
He was there, head bowed and knees bent
I heard him praying, open and vulnerable
Though feeling the need to look away I was drawn in by his words
He spoke of his sorrows, his sins, and his shortcomings
And then he shared his blessings

I learned his secret that day, the one that changed my life

I was always his one true blessing

I will keep his secret safely and cherish it daily, and never let on to what I saw behind the open door

__________________

“We expect our lives to be happy, trouble free and victorious. We forget that victories come only after we fight battles.”

"I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go. Things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right. You believe lies so you eventually learn to trust noone but yourself. And sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together."
— Marilyn Monroe