Oceans.
Sunsets.
The stars.
And those things were beautiful.
More beautiful than words could ever describe.
But they weren't my favorite.
I looked down at Leo.
Then called Iris over.
She ran toward me.
"What, Mommy?"
I pulled both children close.
"My favorite thing I've ever seen is your faces."
Iris smiled.
"Really?"
I nodded.
"Really."
Leo grinned.
"Even when I'm messy?"
I laughed.
"Especially then."
He wrapped his arms around my neck.
Iris hugged me from the other side.
And I closed my eyes.
For a moment, everything went dark again.
Not frightening darkness.
Not the darkness of loss.
Just the familiar sensation of resting my eyes while two children held me.
I realized then that I no longer feared darkness the way I once had.
Because I finally understood something.
**My children had loved me before I could see them.**
**My father had loved me even when he failed to find the courage to reach me.**
