I would be five years old looking up at my mother uttering the words.
“Mom What If?” That would be a lifelong question that I would ask others to take a moment as I do every day and imagine what might happen or what might have happened. My family has known this and acknowledged the imaginary world that I live in daily. That brings me to my shirt, gifted to me by my long-time friend “Dano” Dan Loomis. Dano presented me with this shirt tucked away in a pink bag wrapped in pearl white paper. When I pulled it from the bag and saw the words “What If?” I had no idea he recognized that part of me. Dano would go on to tell me, “Don’t stop that wonder, Frank; kids grow up and lose it, not you.”
To my friend Dano: A seed of birth does not make a family. A family is something that transcends all creation. That love, true love, comes from a place that may not have blood but wings that are far more enduring.
For Dano Today What If?
What if the stars were within our reach,
And dreams were lessons that life would teach?
What if the rivers whispered tales untold,
And secrets of the universe could unfold?
What if the winds carried words of grace,
And time could be rewound, erased?
What if the mountains could touch the sky,
And we could spread our wings and fly?
What if laughter could heal every pain,
And kindness reigned, like a gentle rain?
What if differences were celebrated,
And love's power was never underrated?
What if colors danced in harmony,
And hate dissolved, a forgotten memory?
What if borders were mere lines on a map,
And unity prevailed, across every gap?
What if we could glimpse into each heart,
And understand, right from the start?
What if forgiveness flowed like a river,
And grudges were lost, forgotten forever?
What if our thoughts shaped our reality,
And gratitude bloomed, like a fragrant duality?
What if fear vanished, replaced by trust,
And compassion became an absolute must?
Oh, the wonders that lie in the "what if,"
A realm of possibilities, a cosmic rift.
Imagination's canvas, where dreams can abide,
Where hope and wonder forever collide.
Though "what if" may be a realm unseen,
It sparks the fire of what could have been.
Let us dream and ponder, with open minds,
For in the "what if" lies the world that binds.
