The sailors loved her.

Sounds funny,

Doesn’t it?

She was like a tough mother to them,

Compassionate, fair, but no BS.

She didn’t tell them 

what they wanted to hear.

She told them 

what they needed to hear.

They could have been her sons 

and  daughters,

She cared about them.

They were young, 

very young.

They needed someone

who they could trust.

She made them feel special,

they were special to her.

They were people 

who needed friends

who needed a smile

who needed to know that

someone cared about them.

They needed her

and she needed them, 

because that is who she was.