Day 24: Something you've learned
Wow.
I may have to wax poetic on this one.
This is a picture of the old me.
This is a picture of the old me.
The old me (in the picture) had never really faced any trials in life.
The old me was very judgmental of people.
The old me said the phrase "That's retarded" without hesitation.
The old me avoided people with disabilities like the plague.
The old me wasn't very understanding of other people's circumstances.
But on April 24, 2008, at about 8:30 or 9:00 in the morning, Dr. Kirk Brody came into the very room in the above picture, stood by that very bed, and with one quick sentence, made the old me vanish into thin air.
That was almost four years ago.
So what have I learned?
People are people.
They all put their socks on one at a time, from the President of the United States to the garbage man.
You never know what someone is going through.
Anything is possible. That means good OR bad.
God is gracious.
We don't always understand God.
We don't have to.
-------------------------
I'm reminded of a poem that I memorized in high school. I found it somewhere, and it really struck a chord with me.
The old me was very judgmental of people.
The old me said the phrase "That's retarded" without hesitation.
The old me avoided people with disabilities like the plague.
The old me wasn't very understanding of other people's circumstances.
But on April 24, 2008, at about 8:30 or 9:00 in the morning, Dr. Kirk Brody came into the very room in the above picture, stood by that very bed, and with one quick sentence, made the old me vanish into thin air.
That was almost four years ago.
So what have I learned?
People are people.
They all put their socks on one at a time, from the President of the United States to the garbage man.
You never know what someone is going through.
Anything is possible. That means good OR bad.
God is gracious.
We don't always understand God.
We don't have to.
-------------------------
I'm reminded of a poem that I memorized in high school. I found it somewhere, and it really struck a chord with me.
"After a While"
After a while you learn
the subtle difference between
holding a hand and chaining a soul
and you learn
that love doesn't mean leaning
and company doesn't always mean security.
And you begin to learn
that kisses aren't contracts
and presents aren't promises
and you begin to accept your defeats
with your head up and your eyes ahead
with the grace of woman, not the grief of a child
and you learn
to build all your roads on today
because tomorrow's ground is
too uncertain for plans
and futures have a way of falling down
in mid-flight.
After a while you learn
that even sunshine burns
if you get too much
so you plant your own garden
and decorate your own soul
instead of waiting for someone
to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure
you really are strong
you really do have worth
and you learn
and you learn
with every goodbye, you learn...
the subtle difference between
holding a hand and chaining a soul
and you learn
that love doesn't mean leaning
and company doesn't always mean security.
And you begin to learn
that kisses aren't contracts
and presents aren't promises
and you begin to accept your defeats
with your head up and your eyes ahead
with the grace of woman, not the grief of a child
and you learn
to build all your roads on today
because tomorrow's ground is
too uncertain for plans
and futures have a way of falling down
in mid-flight.
After a while you learn
that even sunshine burns
if you get too much
so you plant your own garden
and decorate your own soul
instead of waiting for someone
to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure
you really are strong
you really do have worth
and you learn
and you learn
with every goodbye, you learn...
by Veronica A. Shoffstall
1 comment:
Wanna really be freaked out by our twin-ness: http://mutteringmama.blogspot.com/2011/08/you-learn.html
Love you, girlfriend!!
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