flowers grew from the sadness in her heart

once upon a time
she told me,
mama, I know I'm different from other people;
there is sadness in my heart.
and this three-year old truth nearly broke my own heart
and I was left wondering
just how my sweet girl could
know such sadness
in her good heart
and in the days to come,
which saw her
mourn for mice,
and put a crushed moth
to rest,
under a leaf so it could
know peace
in its heart and
I saw that the sadness
was not sadness,
but
the compassionate ache of a
heart so full,
and then I knew
that the burden of
her compassionate heart
would carry her far,
and goodness and love
would
blossom
over all of her days.