LORD, YOU STAYED WITH ME
Like a loyal friend, you stayed with me
when life hung by a thread.
You gave me strength to carry on
when I was slipping away.
When I thought it was my last breath, Lord,
you held my hand and led me back.
Now that I'm again alive,
what is your plan for me?
I feel joy in my heart for you, Lord,
so why do I hold it in?
You've been with me my entire life;
.your presence, as tangible
as water in the stream,
brought me peace of mind.
I know you'll never leave me, Lord
you're the light and breath
that make me smile.
Let's have a talk, Lord, you and I,
like I do before blessing the night goodbye.
A LIVING MIRACLE
I never once imagined
I'd be so close to death,
and still be here, heart beating again.
It amazes those who cared for me,
but He was the leading hand.
After I'd survived the worst,
or so I thought,
death whispered a few more times to me.
But God never once let go of my hand,
and I kept fighting for life;
I'd been through close calls before;
thanks to God
who insisted I should live.
The only thing I wonder is,
what's my purpose in this world?
Will I be a better person or
go back to the former me?
There are no regrets about my past
for I lived the best I could.
I still enjoy the little things
the great Lord
greets me with each day,
a butterfly, a hummingbird,
a memory from childhood,
and memories of motherhood.
HAIKU
I never doubted
because I knew you were there
watching over me.
TANKA
I felt your shadow
by my side each step I took
always guiding me
securing my path ahead
and never leaving my side.
Ms. Gallegos came from Mexico as a teenager and lived in Altadena and Pasadena through high school. She then moved to Oxnard and attended community college. She transferred to California State University, Northridge and got her teaching credential. She taught for almost 18 years in Hueneme Elementary School District until a work injury followed by a stroke kept her home. She paused her Master’s but resumed after hospitalization. She graduated with her M.A. June 2015. Works have appeared in Altadena Review, Hometown Pasadena, Silver Birch Press, and Basta! She published her first book called Grab the Bull by the Horns, Outskirts Press, 2016. Her latest book, Stepping Stones: Journal to Recovery from Stroke and Brain Injury is now also available on Amazon.