today, i told myself that i’m proud of him
he wasn’t quite sure how to take it
after all, he wasn’t sure whether i’d ever told him that before…
but he felt it, just as i did
we both stared at each other for a moment that seemed to stretch beyond itself,
just two beings, searching for better in a world that often feels impeding
before the tears had time to collect in his eyes, i rested a hand gently on his shoulder
i let him know that i understood
that i was proud of him because i understood what it had taken to get to this point
we shared one last glance as he turned toward tomorrow, his shoulders noticeably straighter, his chin inclined in triumph
i watched as he walked slowly away, becoming nothing more than a shadow in the dwindling sunlight
and thought of all the times that i wished someone had said it to me
