The Greatest Gift a Man can Give
As a man long ago, in faith still a growing child
Lessons struggled and had to brew for a while
Solitary hikes awarded knowledge of how to live
I learned forgiveness was the greatest gift I could give
Something stirs my soul in these worldly escapes
Lets me see, lets me sense, a different landscape
In one such moment, I made a vow to do my part
I promised God I would never hold back my heart
Sometimes it takes time to heal life’s deeper wounds
Still, I have found to give this love is far better soon
In the end the peace of forgiveness begins to cure
While God’s grace flows to the giver ever sure
Occasionally what I gave was lost as in quicksand
But time and patience turned this child into a man
This gift has loosed the troubled, loosed the pained
I am certain, to forgive undid, time and time again
It does not end only there as I’ve learned to forget
To move beyond, to live my life without regret
I hold no grudges, no festering hate, I’m at peace
From this I know a soul cleansed, can wander free
Such a simple gift to give, as much as to receive
As its lasting joy returns from those who believe
I must still journey to the woods, to build up my reserve
To have this gift to give, because in truth, it is deserved
Years ago when I was still barely a teen I briefly met a man as I sat at the edge of a lake in the deep woods well after midnight. His only words were “I thought you were a rock”. I was reflecting on something I should not have been upset about but was. Those few words and his bizarre and sudden appearance/disappearance brought me to a new reality that it was not good to hold a grudge or be mad very long as it destroys you from the inside out. I have worked very hard at forgiveness over the years because of a simple promise I made to the man as he seemed to dematerialize from my view. I do need to visit Him now and then to simply touch the rock he thought I was.
For further reflection: John 4
This poem is included in the collection of 40 poems in the category of A Moment for Christ within the Immersive Prayer website is also available in book form on Amazon in Paperback or . All Proceeds go to Charity. |