Faded Memories

Dear daughter,

The sand beneath my feet

doesn’t feel the same without you.

The memories we created here are distorted.

Without you by my side,

the ocean seems colder

and the sun doesn't shine as yellow as it did.

The memories we shared are stored in my camera,

they form a story about a mother who cared endlessly about her daughter.

There’s a girl playing in the sand,

creating characters for the sandcastles she built.

Once she finishes playing in the sand,

she races to the ocean water,

jumping over the waves,

never admitting defeat when they surround her.

The sun starts setting and we make our way to our special spot.

Our blanket lays flat on the smooth sand

as she rests her head next to mine.

We stay until the sun falls into the water,

and we always got there before it rose back up again.

But this story is pointless without you.

Since you left,

every night I sit in the same place we used to.

I watch the moon’s reflection,

wishing you were next to me one last time.

The water isn’t calm,

the sand isn’t soft.

Except for that one night every year.

On your birthday, everything seems to fall into place.

The sun reflects perfectly on the water,

the sand is soft.

It’s almost like you are by my side again,

except only my feet leave an imprint in the sand.