Takedown

Hope and the future for me are not in lawns and cultivated fields, not in towns and cities, but in the impervious and quaking swamps. -Thoreau

Today I went on my daily constitutional.

Sparring with God in my head.

First I passed by the homeless shelter.

A non-discriminating place.

Every type of troubled face.

All manner of physical and mental illness, disabilities, alcoholism and addiction.

Rock solid, hard luck tales.

These are surely God's chosen people I thought.

Next was my favorite stop down by the inlet.

It was a beautiful, sunny day.

High, thinly-woven,  cotton ball clouds congregated about.

There was a stiff breeze at the coast and the sea was whippy.

I screamed out inside my soul, "Lord, it's Easter."

The day you're supposed to rise from the dead after a couple of days.

It's been so much longer than that for me.

Where's my resurrection?

Where the Hell are you?"

As I left the water's edge to walk back home through the city.

Chock-full of self pity.

There was a family playing soccer on the grass.

Probably just finished a special holiday dinner.

A mother and her children kicking a ball around and laughing.

When I got back to my place, my alcoholic friend Mike was sitting in his car in the parking lot.

He smiled and we talked and laughed about nothing for a while  before I went inside for the evening.

He's the only one who brings me joy and hope these days.

I was pinned with no way out.

All my grievances refuted although aired.

"You win again Lord" I declared ...

Author's Note

"What means the fact--which is so common, so universal--that some soul that has lost all hope for itself can inspire in another listening soul an infinite confidence in it, even while it is expressing its despair?" - Thoreau

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

This one reiterates the truth that good is all around us, but sometimes you have to look for it. The homeless shelters of the world are there, no doubt about it. But there are also the beauties of nature and families playing together and good (if slightly soused) companions. Too many people have tunnel vision.

[Pete]

i'm guilty of tunnel vision. i often have to consciously refocus. i selfishly paint myself into a dark corner when hope is there - just have to look and acknowledge. if nothing else, we always have faith at our disposal. happy easter j. the b.! ... :)

[Moomin]

Your words are powerful and passionate. They seep your frustration and concern for your fellow man.

There are so many things wrong in life today. Is it wrong to question God? No, the faithful servants in the Bible echoed similar feelings and objections, yet God comforted and strengthened them.

This world is not as God inteneded. Do you remember the "Lord's prayer?" - "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven."

Jesus gave us a taste of that kingdom, when He was on the earth.

Let me leave you with one of my most treasured scriptures, oe which has kept me from taking my own life;

"God will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry, nor pain be anymore."

It's a promise, backed up by evidence!

Good writing.

Moomin

[Pete]

thank you for sharing such impassioned thoughts and especially for reminding of the importance of faith - that's really what it comes down to. i struggle with when. i know that all is in his time according to his will not mine ... :)