Who will I be?

[AndreasS] "life of excellence" CC

He passed away this week.
This man,
visited oft by those he loves,
by those he has cared for,
pastored, mentored.
A man of gratitude,
of prayer,
of humility.
A man that fought to serve his Lord.

In sixty,
or seventy years,
who do I want to be?

Do I want to be a woman
So proud
So stubborn
that she can't accept the help that she needs?

Or like the man
who is so embittered with life,
so hardened by strife,
that to be with people,
is too big a risk to take--
it may just cause more pain.

Or a woman who laughs,
who shares her opinion,
so honest, so close to rude,
but fun to be with,
to tease, to laugh with.

Or the woman so gracious,
so thankful, so kind.
Who cares about you, and where you have been.
Who has raised kids quite alike as her.

I serve them.
I bathe them.
I pull up their briefs.
I feed them.
I clean up their home.

These people,
are pictures.
Of who I could be.
In sixty,
seventy years.

If I hold on to pain.
If I hold on to fear.
I could be like him...or her.

If I serve my Lord faithfully,
If I smile, and laugh.
If I love, and forgive.
Then I could be like him.
Christ-like, forgiven.
Loving and gracious,
even at ninety-one.

-KT