The Journey Goes On
A promise, a goodbye, and a new beginning
I stayed with the old man for three happy days.
He showed me photos of my grandfather as a young man.
In the pictures, they laughed together by the same sea.
I remembered my long trip from the far south.
I found the map, took many trains, and crossed the foggy sea.
I climbed the mountains and walked through the deep snow.
Each brought me closer to this warm little house.
Now the time came for me to say .
"I will come back next winter," I promised the old man.
"And I will bring my mother with me," I added.
"I will write to you every month," I said with a smile.
The old man's eyes shone, and he held my hands .
"I will wait for you, just like before," he answered.
He gave me a small of the two young friends.
"Keep this, and never forget your grandfather's ," he said.
I put the next to the old ticket in my bag.
At the station, the cold morning air felt fresh and clean.
I looked back at the white town one last time.
My grandfather started this journey, but I finished it.
Now I will my own new journeys in the world.
"I will live , like you wanted," I whispered to him.
When the train arrived, I stepped inside with a .
The red line on the map was at last.
My grandfather's journey ended, but mine will go on.