Ode To Margaret's Grandson
I found her message on an Internet bulletin board while
surfing that system of global union. There are many such
boards on the net where people share snippets of their
lives; moments of joy and sadness, in a few lines of text
some call loneliness or, in this case, a plea for help.
Her message was simple, direct, and heartrending: "My
grandson has passed away, please keep us in your prayers." I
read the entire string of messages to gain a better
understanding of what had happened.
As it turned out, the grandmother's name was Margaret and
her grandson of about one year had passed away because of a
disease - she was devastated. Despite her faith, which was
now suffering, she was having great difficulty believing God
could have planned to hurt her so badly. Many were the
comments which told her to stand firm in her faith, while
others simply said it was all just part of God's plan. I
clicked another site to continue my surfing.
Page after page, I continued my Internet research but I
could not shake the thought of Margaret's lightly veiled
plea for help. I returned to the message board.
Marshaling my limited understanding of God, I asked him to
help this sinner find the words to help a Christian in need.
I wrote:
And the Lord said:
"How does one start to heal the heart that's suffered the
loss of a child? And fill that space now an empty place
which brimmed with love for a while? Can you tell a friend
and in the end will they know what he meant to you? Or is it
in vain to relate the pain of a heart that is breaking in
two?"
"My dear sweet child it's just for a while I'll embrace him
here with me, Then come what may on a fateful day he'll be
sent strait back for thee. You'll turn your head from a
hospital bed and a boy beside you will stand, Then on that
day your grandson will say, 'Gramma, take my hand'."
"You'll puzzle a while then start to smile as you reach for
the little boy's hand, Because in your heart you'll know
from the start 'twas God just unfolding his plan. With the
circle complete you'll jump to your feet as the Heavenly
Host starts to sing, Then with a big smile will say the
sweet child, 'Gramma, here are your wings'."
This sinner then signed the post, perhaps appropriately: ~
GOD ~
Lea MacDonald inventor@adan.kingston.net