You were larger than
the small minded people
in a small town,
and you made me
feel larger.
You probably never
realized this,
but you made a difference
in ways that are
too great to measure,
opening a door
in the darkness
and letting the light
shine through.
You gave me a heart
that does more than beat,
instilling a joy of living
and teaching me to love
all of God's creatures.
And you did these things
not through any creed
or ideology,
not with the words of
ancient philosophers
or great teachers,
but through your own
propensity to love all things.
And I couldn't have become
the person I am
without you.