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Until Then
by Paige L. Austin

I am still waiting for that one thing
that moment
where I know I have done what I came here to do.
I hope it comes as a shout of joy from my great grandchildren
running by my rocking chair
in my sunny backyard.
I hope it comes as a message from an old friend
saying I’m glad we’ve been through life together
I wouldn’t have wanted to do it without you.
I hope it comes among curls of silver-white hair
and bad knees from decades of running
and arthritic hands from a lifetime of writing.
I hope it comes as the discovery of love letters in an old shoe box
years of anniversaries and birthdays
gathered together in colorful paper memories.
I hope it comes as gently as a sunset
after a perfect day
many years from now.
Until then I will be here
making sure I get there
and I am still waiting.

PAINTING: Guiliana and the Sunflowers by Jamie Wyeth (1987).

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: I’m at a time in my life where “the days are long but the years are short.” I often stop to think about all the things I still want to accomplish, and I wonder if I’ll have the time. Of course, we all only have whatever time we’re given, and none of us knows exactly how long that is, so all we can really do is hope it’s enough. For myself, I’m aiming for a good, long life filled with joy and love, and I’m content to wait however long it takes to get there.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Paige L. Austin is a professional magazine editor with a master’s degree in Writing and Publishing from DePaul University. She recently returned to the creative writing fold, and is enjoying spreading her creative wings again! Her most recent flash fiction piece, “How to Do It All,” was published by Silver Birch Press as part of its HOW TO Poetry and Prose Series. She lives with her husband in Texas, where together they wrangle their two young children, two cats, and one long-suffering dog. Visit her on Instagram and at paigelaustin.com.