To and for my IR family

The first step on a road,
And you know there are many more to come,
The first smile you share,
And many you pass on,
A silent tear you shed,
And someone secretly looks on,
The first hand you hold,
And a family is born.

On such a road a faltering step I kept,
A lingering sense of uncertainty around me,
And soon, very soon, there was the first smile,
A first hesitant hand was held out,
And where once all was unknown,
A family surrounded me,
To make me … one of its very own.

We skipped along this path,
Sharing joys of camaraderie,
Gulping each new experience passing us by,
Watching them become familiar,
As they pass from eye to eye.
On this joyride,
Sometimes, we lost a friend,
Sometimes, we greeted another
Holding hands through sorrow
And through a lot of fun
We mastered life together.

But the safety net now withdraws,
The family now recedes,
The launch pad stands ready to catapult
But am I ready?
Just a step away awaits a new future,
New place, new people
But may be not a new family.

I see behind me a small gap,
Hands slightly parted where mine had been
Beads of sweat on my palms
A hard reminder of what was.
An apprehension of what may not be.

But there was a smile lingering on their lips,
A sparkle in their eyes wishing me luck,
Bidding me farewell,
Tightly clasped fingers, covered every chink,
Standing apart I felt included,
Enveloped in the strength of love,
A love that bade me to take on the world.
Asking me to take just one faltering step forward.

And now I will.

Goodbye!