maggie zimmer

as a kid, I remember talking to you about graduating in high school.

scared yet excited of who we would become as the future came

I fell in love, whatever falling in love in 7th grade means,

but you instead offered the plant for a friendship

one that would so incredibly change my life for the next five years.

you gave me the best moments I could never possibly repay.

here we are, the day that we talked about so long ago. you’re 18.

we watched each other grow, people who were proud of each other to see

you, still holding the truest heart,

a willpower unmatched, flawed, but genuine

even through the hardest moments life could ever offer, you still persisted

strength that I’ve never seen anyone match

and when I seemed so gone from earth, you were the first one to pull me back

telling me 14,000 things to be happy about.

as the ages left, so did we

you in another world, me still to the same roots

our faces were left behind, and so did our words

but the love always remains. it always has.

even from distances and time so far away, I’ll always hold you in my heart

the emotions you taught me that I still carry,

a new life breathed that a thousand people could never speak,

and a different perspective of what the world should be.

I know I’ve said it a million times,

but you really are the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

thank you for everything.

thank you for the joy you gave as times passed,

thank you for being there for when you were needed the most,

and thank you for changing the many lives around you.

happy birthday, maggie.