Gina Burke: Comes the Dawn

Comes the Dawn by Veronica A. Shoffstall

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 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 open
With the grace of a 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.
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...
That you really are strong,
And you really do have worth.
And you learn and learn...
With every goodbye you learn.

This poem has always reminded me about my relationship with God and it seems to resurface at the exact moment I need it the most. I trust that God will help me find strength through adversity and although I am not promised an easy road, or even an uncomplicated one, I always have the opportunity to start again. When I read this poem I remember that my trust in God is really about his belief in me.I trust God to be my source of strength so that I can “accept my defeats” and “decorate my own soul”. I trust him to remind me that we all need to cultivate resilience because if we don’t get up after being knocked down we can’t live lives that honor him. If we don’t learn from our mistakes and trust God to open those proverbial windows then we won’t be able to experience the happiness that is intended for each of us.

Most recently I heard this poem at a colleague’s memorial service. The woman we gathered to remember had experienced her share of defeats and setbacks. What struck me throughout the service was how many friends she had from all walks of life. There were countless stories shared about her warmth, her generosity, and her love of life. Her ability to persevere and give to others made her a truly wonderful person. I trust that God will be there with me throughout my life to remind me that I have the strength to be the kind of person she was, the kind of person that I want to be.