Sunday, April 24, 2011

A Gift From the Sun


[Day 24 of the Soul Card Journey
with Elizabeth Crawford of Soul's Music
Soul Cards by Deborah Koff-Chapin
at http://www.touchdrawing.com/]
for Jeff

He came to
Traveler,
like a gift
from the sun,
sunny laughing baby
with gentle heart
and innocent eyes.

Schizophrenia
struck him down
at seventeen,
and for two decades
his soul struggled to
survive, to adapt to
his altered and fractured 
reality.

Traveler
walked beside him
down
many midnight streets
streaked with raindrop tears,
the endless darkness ahead
unknowable and,
thankfully,
unseen.

She hung onto
the other end of the phone
during hundreds,
no thousands,
of conversations,
as he struggled
to decide
whether
he could make it
through one more
stormy, lonely,
desperate 
night.

She became
still and strong,
like an oak tree,
to give him
shelter,
like an anchor,
to tether him
to the earth
when he would
blow away
like a scudding cloud
across the
tortured universe
of his mind.

On the other side
of this battle,
he emerged,
deciding to stay,
and thanked her
for always
holding on
to that sunny child,
that gentle heart,
inside him,
for never
letting go,
for never
turning away,
for seeing him, still,
the boy that he was,
inside the large suffering body
of the man.

In the end,
they decided
the illness,
the suffering,
had brought
them gifts:
it taught them
unconditional love,
acceptance,
Being There,
speaking from
the heart,
Being Real.

It taught them
that What Is
is What Is,
and is okay.

It was their
souls' path,
his and hers,
their journey
to make,
to walk
this portion
of the highway
together.


12 comments:

  1. Sherry, an absolutely beautiful poem of unconditional love.

    Pamela

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  2. Sherry,

    This is a very warmly written poem and overflowing with a deep and caring love.
    I really like the title so much too,'A Gift from The Sun'.

    Easter Greetings Sherry,
    Eileen :)

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  3. You poem is amazing and touches at the deepest parts me. Thank goodness she didn't give up when she must have been so weary. Thank goodness he didn't give up when this horrid disease took over. Amazing!
    Welcome to the World

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  4. This poem is so touching; the relationship of a Mother n' Child! I am happy no one gave up! There are gifts in pain, difficult to see at first. Your vision is crystal clear...Love is what is essential~xXx

    Happy Easter~

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  5. Love is ever powerful.
    Beautiful write, Sherry.

    (Thank you for the lovely sentiments on my blog)

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  6. the bond between a child and a mother is unbreakable.

    eloquent delivery of your message,
    Cheers.
    Happy Easter!
    Bless You!

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  7. Sherry, a truly beautiful poem of what love and perseverance can accomplish. Many blessings to you and your son!

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  8. This one reaches deep and makes its own space within. Brave woman, honest, and loving. Thank you, Sherry,

    Elizabeth

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  9. You know what, I truly enjoyed reading this poem

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  10. Jeff (Siddhartha); one of my greatest teachers. Love, love LOVE him =)

    We are incredibly blessed.

    Beautiful poem!
    xx

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  11. oh sherry, this is so beautiful and warm and loving, i want to wrap myself up in it to face the day. with your permission i think i'm gonna do just that. thanks so much for sharing, and i love, love the photo. xoxo

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  12. Precious. Precious. Precious. Change the name of the illness, and I AM traveler. So perfectly told, Sherry.

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