more than 25 years ago
when those strains of ice cream music
were first being picked out by little fingers
across small keyboards
there was a man
who came into our lives
and who we came to love
we would bring him to our home
let him clean himself and get fresh clothes
and we'd eat together
and he would sleep with us in our warm home
and we would go to church together
we listened to his many stories
told with a heavy accent and broken hands
spoken through the widest of smiles
full of missing teeth
he knew our littles when they were young
and loved them and would bring them gifts
here's an inscription from a book of illustrations and music he gave
" Dearest Daughter of the Secret Heart of the Jesus the Christ,
This Chrismass present to you covers everything from the day you were created
by God in your mothers womb
to your birthday
till you desend back into Eternal Light
from whence you desended.
Sincerly Yours in the Lord"
' Peter '
he was with us when our baby
when just a toddler
while stomping in the woods
stumbled upon a pebble
and had to have stitches to his forehead...
our children grew up proud to know him
and we always shouted greetings
and exchanged smiles when we'd happen upon each other on the street
yesterday while sitting at dinner
sharing conversation about 'what did you do this weekend?'
it came out that his funeral had been over the weekend
I was shocked and disappointed when we heard that we had missed it
we should have been among the handful of people who attended
who knew him and loved him
later at night in bed
I couldn't stop weeping
not that Peter-man is gone
surely he is happy...
he always looked forward to and spoke of eternity
he loved his God...
and was so full of His joy...
in all these days of preparing myself to say good-byes
how did I miss this good-bye
how did I miss the prompting of His Holy Spirit...
how could I not have heard His quiet voice speak into my heart...
how have I become so self absorbed and distracted?!?!
I failed at loving
failed to show our love and respect...
to a joyous loving man
No comments:
Post a Comment