Consider This (For my Son)

 

I thought I had to be perfect and hid judgment in my body. And it became pain.

I thought that love was scarce, invisible and not for me. And it became pain.

I hid loneliness behind my eyes and pain had a seat there . And it became illness.

I swallowed the voices of others, voices that sickened and blamed,

voices that became mine, quietly rude and vicious,

So pain took up residence in my head; and pain rented a space in my neck,

and under my heart and held the rights to my love of life.

 

And Spirit said,

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Before you curse the darkness of your pain consider this: In the pain that visited you are many blessings.

Pain came as a guest not as a permanent resident. Like any good guest, it is not eternal.

And like any good guest it brought you a gift- the blessing of choice.

Because of the pain of rejection you chose to claim your right be whole.

Because of the pain of lies you chose to be faithful to your heart’s truth.

Because of the pain of hatred you chose to witness for love.

Because of the pain of suffering you chose to have compassion for all.

Because of the pain of misunderstanding you chose forgiveness.

Because of the pain of grief you chose to have humility before the grandeur of existence.

 

© Linda Beatrice Brown

 

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