This Poem is dedicated with gratitude to the one I have loved, to her whose love for me, taught me to love. She was taken away so suddenly from me with the dreaded disease The Big " C". Luckily we had 24 great years together, which will always remain with me. Those We Have Loved. Love is never painless, It is not predictable, or tidy, or suitable. It can't be directed And sneaks into our hearts When we least expect it And our sights are set on something else. Even when we think we hold it Safe and secure in the palm of our hand It can be snatched away in an instant, Leaving us floundering and desolate. What masquerades as love May be only the need to fill our own emptiness A yardstick to measure our self-worth, Or the desire to control and manipulate; And can be very destructive. But when love is real It is self enriching; And those we have loved Remain a part of us forever. My Motto: Remember life is to short to be selfish and hurtful to others, because you may have to live with regret forever, which could kill you.