If someone said to me

If someone said to me: “Supposing you were to die tomorrow, what would you do?” If it were raining, I would bring my children outside barefoot and tell them to feel the rain, really feel it on their skin and remember me by the smell of it falling on the ground. If the sun was shining, I would bring my babies outside and tell them, feel the warmth and remember when you are cold, the sun is always there to warm you, she is your mother. I would read a poem or two to them and tell them to remember poetry as they grow. I would make them all hug me and tell them to remember each other when life brings them down. I would drink champagne, very expensive champagne, and share sweet strawberries with my babies, so I could kiss their fruited lips and tell them “remember strawberries and be sweet to one another.” I would breathe in deep, the air near the ocean and tell my children, “remember the ocean. She will always listen to you.”We would eat chocolate and I would let them know it is good to indulge, if but sometimes. I would tickle my babies and laugh with them and hope they remember to laugh always and to remember my laugh as it held all the love in the world for them. I would tuck them in sweetly and tell them I love them more than feeble words can say. I would kiss their sweet foreheads and touch their soft hair and cry into their arms. It is me who is losing. I would leave my heart in their breasts and my soul in their home. I would make sweet love to my husband and hold him until the morning light shown through the darkness. I would make him promise to love and protect my babies. I would breathe in his breath and tell him to be strong, “Take my breath and be strong,” I would say. I would walk naked to my grave and know my love was spent well. I would look back but once and forever. I would take the hands of my father, my grandmother, and I would take my place among the Guardians.