The Art Of Leaving Behind Poem by Alice Baudoin

Life is the art of leaving behind
A past and a passion for love
A mystery, a regret, a dishonorable moment,
An embarrassing instant of glory

A hurt, a repeated trespass
Life is the art of leaving behind
The child that you were and the child that you are,
A child that you have and a child that he'll have

Life is the art of leaving behind
A thank you note and the Christmas card
The hand of your child on your face
In astonishment

Life is the art of leaving behind
A parent, a place and a graduation, a death,
A house full of memories and laughter,
A house full of dreams and sleepless nights

Life is the art of leaving behind
Graciously, softly, like the wind of the rain forest,
The recurrent thought that the past was much better,
More genuine, more romantic,


More healthy and unsophisticated,
More intense, creative, innovative,
More charmingly rewarding
Life is the art of leaving behind

A smile and a tear and a thrill and a meaning
Of a word on a paper, a prejudice, a curse,
A misfortune, a gain, a damnation
With grace

Life is the art of leaving behind
A glance over the shoulder to the past,
A glance into the future through the eyes of chance
Life is the art of leaving behind

The hands that wrapped you up in love through hard times
Life is the art of raising your eyes to God
And opening hands and a smile in the sun,
Like opening windows in spring

Life is the art of bending one knee,
Then the other, in treasuring seconds
And breathing out
Gratitude