Showing Up

To show up is more
than standing in a room—
it is pausing,
listening with the ears of your heart,
and seeing the unspoken.

It is the quiet attention,
the phone put down,
the world held at bay
so they may speak,
so they may be heard.

It is hands that help,
meals that arrive at just the right time,
notes left like whispers of thoughtfulness,
small gestures that say, I am here.

It is the courage to speak
words of encouragement—
to name their strength,
to remind them of their grace,
to celebrate each small victory
as if it were a triumph of the soul.

It is also the wisdom to pause,
to honor their space,
to offer support from a distance,
and to stay ready,
should they call.

It is consistency:
a message, a check-in, a quiet thought
that says, I see you. You matter.

It is advocacy,
standing in their corner,
holding them up when the world leans too heavy,
and showing up emotionally,
even when vulnerability trembles at the edges.

Showing up is love
not always loud,
not always flashy,
but steady, patient,
like a river carving canyons of trust,
deep, enduring, true.

To show up is to give
your time, your presence, your heart—
again and again,
in ways both small and sacred,
so they know
without a word,
that they are cherished,
that they are not alone.