Cerulean Sky
Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too, was a gift. ~ Mary Oliver
When you’re 14, they call it puppy love. What does a 14-year-old know of love—anyway, I thought it was love at the time. He said he loved me, too. I never imagined he would hurt me so deeply. I never imagined such violence was even possible, that a human being could be so selfish and cruel. The darkness he gave me that day almost consumed me, threatened to kill me. Ironic, considering the day itself was sunny and bright, though bone-chilling cold.
Looking back decades later I see the blessing, how the pain and loss drew me closer to God as my only refuge. The other path my life may have taken—had there been no pain, no loss of innocence—is one in which I may have never fully understood my need for a Savior. When all is well, what does one need saving from? But I did need to be saved from that box full of darkness—I desperately needed rescuing so I could live this wonderful, light-filled life I’ve been given.
Cerulean sky
Cold wind blowing in darkness
Holds no power now
__________________________
This week dVerse Poets Pub offered up several quotes to choose from for Haibun Monday #7. The Mary Oliver quote spoke to me, so here’s my haibun for the week.
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He creates beauty from ashes. Praise Him! That’s what comes to mind when I read this poem/story.
He does, indeed!
I’m glad you found the gift in the darkness.
Me too. 🙂
dArK leSsonS
best when
Sun
comes
back..
RetUrn oF
liGht
briGht Peace reign..:)
Thank you , Linda, for sharing and helping us all turn to Him more and more.
Very inspiring to read Linda ~ When one has walked and seen that darkness, we appreciate the light and love we have and see around us ~ Thanks for joining our Haibun Monday ~
Yes.. can we ever understand the light without the backdrop of darkness… Still I hope we don’t have to go too deep to find it… there is a risk of drowning too.
True. I almost did drown in that darkness. So thankful I was pulled out and lived to tell that there is always hope.
Those young ones, so vulnerable, are so easily hurt And there are those selfish, cruel persons who take advantage of that. I believe that, in some way, we all have our mistakes to make so that we can discover that there is One who loves us, no matter what.
So true.
I was around the same age Linda when i experienced violence from a stranger. Thank you for being so open. You are right, it holds no power now
I’m finding that as I’m open about this experience, I find more responses like yours than the criticism and rejection I feared for so long. It is good for the healing process to know we are not alone.
Yes, me too. I usually avoid poems on this subject but yours came softly and was easy to take. Thank you