Shadows
©
3/04 by
After
hurried appointments and meetings,
a round of all work and no play,
I
was anxious to get home, take time to relax,
and forget all about the day.
Looking
forward to selfish unwinding
after rushing here and there,
I
parked a short distance from my home
to walk and enjoy the night air.
I
noticed these shadows as I walked along
the busy, dimly lit street –
shadows, forms, shapes and figures,
some rugged, some soft, all discreet.
Large
shadows as I hurried past
and quickly looked away
--
small shadows that I tried to ignore
in case they had something to say.
There’s
a shadow bundled in the doorway;
another over there by the tree;
from another shadow a faded sign
with two printed words, “Help me.”
Why
don’t these shadows disappear.
They’re
an irritant, an eyesore at best.
You
would think they’ve decided to set up house
and make the street their address.
“Let
me speak on behalf of the shadows.”
I
heard a voice strong and clear,
say, “I have a few questions to ask of you
and there’re a few things that you need to hear.”
“What
happened to all your compassion?
When
did you become so great?
Do
you think because you are blessed today
you have a right to judge and berate?
A
sudden shift in the timing of life –
a circumstance with more loss than gain –
and you could become just a shadow
battered by wind and rain;
or parched by the sun with no shelter or shade,
once hoping to get a new start;
now, carrying all your possessions –
your whole life in a bag
or a cart.
What
you call shadows are real men and women
each with a story to tell.
Lost,
ignored, and forgotten today,
they had hopes and dreams as well.”
Oh,
dear God, I ask your forgiveness.
What
on earth has happened to me?
Have
I become so consumed with myself
that I can no longer see?
As
I stood there ashamed, softly crying,
I
knew (just like I know my name)
from the moment I heard the voice of God
I
would never see shadows the same.
So
pause when you next see a shadow.
Take
a good long look and you’ll see
the shadows have well defined faces
of people just like you and me.
I’ll
never take what I have for granted,
or look down on those I’ve passed by,
for that night God helped me remember
there, but for His
grace, go I.
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