I think I just met the happiest person in the world

She was on her death bed, weak and old

And yet she smiled like she had won the lottery,

Not like her soul was getting sold

To the devil, or the Lord

In fact I don’t think her to be religious,

Not at all!

She hand my hand in hers, and told me

Her eternally wise words

She said “no matter what you do

Always aim to be first”

She continued on, coughing a little

“Doesn’t mean you have to be the best

Or the only,

Just make sure you have fun, and whatever spiritual force

You believe in will do the rest”

I said to her, “but Ma’am you don’t wear a cross,

Pardon me, but I didn’t think you to be a child of the Lord”

She shook her head, smile never dropping

“Jesus Christ might not be my lord and savior,

But there has to be someone up there making lives better,”

She sat and held my hand tighter

“See dear, there may be a god, but he may not be all powerful,

See the floods, the disasters, the murders, the missing,

But belief, my love

Is a very very powerful thing.”

She continued on now, a glow lighting up her face

“There may or may not be a God, or there may be many,

Everyone knows I am about to find out,

But put your belief in something,

And let it take root,

And I promise you,

You will reap the fruits.”

She smiled again, her grip now loosening,

And the machines around her started to lull.

“Smile, my child, for it’ll take you far,

No matter what, a smile always shows someone for

Who they truly are.”

The moniters started to flare red, a beeping sound

Ringing through the room,

But all through her eyes never left mine,

And as the machine flatlines,

She smiled, and said,

“Farewell, my friend.”