TBT: Guiding Light
People are stumbling in the dark,
trying to find their way.
Be their guiding light,
that beautiful, hopeful ray.
Be a light in the darkness,
even if it’s pressing down on thee.
Be a light in the darkness,
hard though it may be.
Catch them as they’re falling
into that dark abyss
or else the joys of eternal day
they will surely miss.
Be a light in the darkness
help set free their souls.
Be a light in the darkness
let peace over them roll,
Don’t let them slip
into death’s cold embrace.
Pick them up
and help them finish the race.
Be a light in the darkness,
let them, too, be blessed.
Be a light in the darkness,
share with them everlasting rest.
Be their guiding light,
that beautiful, hopeful ray.
Background:
I changed my mind - posting every other Thursday for Throwback Thursday was my first inclination because I didn’t want to go through the old poems too quickly, but as I kept thinking about it, that didn’t seem like a very good reason. It seemed fear-based, as if I’m afraid of running out of things to share.
Now, I figure that I already waited too long to get started on this whole project, why postpone parts of it for fear-centered reasons? (Caveat: I believe waiting in general is often a wise choice! Gathering information and all that. I often lean toward waiting. Maybe right now I’m swinging from fear to impatience somehow. Lord, preserve me from spiritual-nausea-inducing pendulum swings, because, good grief, are they easy to fall into! Hopefully, this isn’t that.)
To change the subject back to the main subject, this poem is the second in my little baby poetry book. You can tell that little girl grew up in church; she’s swimming in the Bible imagery and jargon.
Isn’t it an interesting experience to look back with fondness, wry humor, and a little chagrin at our younger selves? Or a lot of chagrin, depending on the circumstance. In this case, my chagrin is mostly a result of some of the clunky rhythms. And the random use of “thee” for the sake of rhyming. :’D Do whatchu gotta do, little sister.
I hope that when you look back on your younger self, whether from years ago or even just a few days ago, that you look neither with rose-tinted glasses nor with pure criticism, but instead with kaleidoscope vision - layers of thankfulness for your growth so far, a forward-pulling longing to be even more who God made you to be, and tenderness toward that self who, though not developed to your full potential, was and is still just as treasured by God as you’ll ever be. You can’t increase infinite love by being more lovely, but it sure is easier to become lovelier when the eyes beholding you belong to infinite Love.
Wishing you goodness without end,
Jess