The Value of You

Friendship’s a treasure chest filled to the brim.

Bright golden trinkets provide quite a trim

For jewels that sparkle and call to the eye,

And catch the attention as one passes by.

If one lingers longer and looks past the shine,

One finds that true riches come only with time.

The durable treasure is not to be found

By one passing by, but by one sticking ’round.

Too many take nuggets or just settle for gems.

They see not the treasure that’s buried within.

But I saw true riches were not on the top,

And after a moment decided to stop.

Looking beyond the glitter, I began to discover,

The deeper I searched the more wealth I uncovered.

Ornaments are pretty and plentiful too,

But nothing compares with the value of you.

Cherel S. Justice

1980