Set Free Poem by Barbara Haskell

I long to play softball,
bowl on a team again, too,
camp out in the desert
or on a mountaintop,
the beauty of either will do.
I long to be a volunteer,
helping others,
delivering meals to the elderly,
running in a marathon for cancer research,
and collecting money for Easter Seals.
I long to take each grandchild,
one by one,
on our own special vacation,
wherever they wanted to go-
Destination? Closeness, laughter and fun!
I long for quality time in my life,
time with my family,
my sister's, my daughter,
my son and his wife.
This and more,
I long for life to be,
but it's very far from that.
Pain keeps me from fulfilling work,
keeps me from throwing a ball
or swinging a bat.
There are no vacations for two,
no running for me,
when I can barely walk.
Please, please, remember all this
and be nothing but happy for me,
when from this tortured body,
I am finally-
set free.