Joanie

You walked beside my mother's steps, a sister and a friend,

You held me when my life was new, a love that wouldn't end.

I still recall the baby doll you placed into my hand,

A quiet gift of tenderness that helped me understand.

Oh, Aunt Joanie, patient and wise,

There is a welcoming light in your eyes.

Fiercely protective and tenderly kind,

Leaving the shadows of distance behind.

You gather me in, you make me feel known,

With you, I will never be walking alone.

The seasons turned and shifted tides, we drifted for a space,

The years moved on, but time could not erase your gentle grace.

Now we have found the road back home, our spirits newly bound,

And closer than we ever were is where we now are found.

Oh, Aunt Joanie, patient and wise,

There is a welcoming light in your eyes.

Fiercely protective and tenderly kind,

Leaving the shadows of distance behind.

You gather me in, you make me feel known,

With you, I will never be walking alone.

Through every laugh and every tear, your humor lights the way,

Your open arms have given me a steady place to stay.

You mean so much, more than a song could ever truly tell,

A well of love and wisdom where my grateful heart can dwell.

Oh, Aunt Joanie, patient and wise,

There is a welcoming light in your eyes.

Fiercely protective and tenderly kind,

Leaving the shadows of distance behind.

You gather me in, you make me feel known,

With you, I will never be walking alone.