perfect today (for j+b)

my greatest teachers in life
weren't from grade school
or books, or songs, or even poetry
my greatest teachers
are not found in our national heroes
the web, a youtube tutorial, or a movie
my greatest teachers
are not khalil gibran, ghandi, or jesus
or maya angelou, shel silverstein, or rumi
these have all been teachers, to some degree
-the poems, the heroes, the internet
the songwriters and authors
the storytellers and spiritual leaders-
but they were not my greatest teachers

my greatest teachers
have been the ones who grew me
who taught me
not by words or scripture
or fortune cookie platitudes
but by attitudes and examples
the people who taught me about invaluables
how to pick up the pieces after the hurricane
how to cease this destruction and find salvation again

one of my greatest teachers
can out cook, out clean, out decorate most people i know
she's quick, and fiery, vulnerable and smart
she's beautiful, resilient
she's not afraid to work for what she wants
she's not afraid to shine effortlessly
she's original and lived
a mother and a daughter
a sister and an aunt
and she met a man
to spend the rest of her days with
who listens and observes her life
and her needs
appreciates where she's been and wants to go where she's going
a clever man, driven to build their future
ever present, ever attentive
engaged in the world that surrounds him
in tow, a life of his own
filled with his own luggage of experiences
but the man he is, he recognizes everyone has baggage
but it is in the grace that we travel with that baggage that marks our character

no my greatest teachers are not
the main characters of stories
or the founding fathers of science, rock n roll, or industry
they are the people
who have proven to me
that life
our lives, and our choices, our yesterdays tears and loud smiles,
apartments and road trips, houses and jobs,
moving and then moving again, raising a family, raising bluto,
births and deaths, all the lessons, the blessings
dinner parties and toasts
fights and celebrations
were all worth it
because every single decision and path
delivered us perfectly in to today

congratulations bernie and john.
thank you for being one of the greatest.