Monday November 21 2016  A CURIOUS SOUL

 

I WANT TO KNOW THE STORY

Kathleen Martens

November 21, 2016

http://www.visionsofpoetry.com

 

I want to know the story

Of everyone I meet,

Of all the faces that pass me by

As well as those I greet.

 

Each life both public and private

Has a story to tell.

Some have lived fairy tale lives,

While others a living hell.

 

What words would I hear

If I were but to ask?

Just exactly what could I write

If I were but up to the task?

 

Some faces friendly and open,

Other discreetly disguised,

You can never tell what the story will be

If by the outside you have surmised.

 

And sometimes my curiosity

Gets the best of me.

And I simply ask outright,

Tell me your story please.

 

And oh how I would love to capture

All that is told in bits and pieces,

Never can a full story be known

Until the person ceases.

 

And no one knows the inner workings

Of what goes on in another’s heart,

And perhaps even the self

Wouldn’t know where to start.

 

So instead of life’s adventures

I ask what in life have they learned

That they would share with all mankind,

What wisdom have they earned?

 

And so today I did as such

With two lovely ladies sitting at a table,

Ruth was eighty nine and spunky

And Doris, ninety three and quite able.

 

Doris responded quite quickly:

“Fear and love

And trust in God above all things”

Then confided, “Someday I’ll live above.”

 

And Ruth replied

“I tried to live right

And tried to show Gods love,

And sow into people God’s light”

 

Just a little part of their stories

Relative to eternity’s plan,

Their wisdom in the simplest form

Was to love God, and to love man.

 

What better way to celebrate life,

With creases of time etched on faces.

The ladies were so beautiful to me,

Regardless their outward cases.

 

Our bodies are but what houses our spirit

And today I was ushered in

To hear the stories of two lovely ladies,

Confident they are forgiven their sin.

 

What better wisdom I could not tell

Than to share their destiny’s path,

Both knowing they are bound for heaven

To an eternity that will forever last.

 

When I sat down to write it was one of those moments when I thought I had nothing to write.  I simply prayed and asked God to bring to light what He wanted me to share.  Then the conversations with these two lovely women came out in a poem.  I stopped by the Senior Center this morning to pick up some bread (delicious day old sourdough bread) and became engaged in a conversation with two beautiful elderly women.  After talking with them for about 30-40 minutes lunch time was looming and the crowd was coming in to eat so it shortened our conversation somewhat.  Before I left I asked them if I could record their words of wisdom.  I figured that sometime in the future I might be able to write a blog about them, I just didn’t know it be in poetry form on this same day.  The poem says it all, at least what I thought to be the most important.  Don’t get me wrong, I heard lots of stories, lots of back grounds information, and either life stands alone to be the making of an interesting book.  Such a plethora of stories that go unnoticed all because their faces are wrinkled and their bodies are slow.  There was nothing slow about their minds however!  What two such amazing women!  As each older citizen dies we lose a bit of our heritage, a bit of our country’s history, and a lot of the population who have close relationships with God.  What a tragedy that more voices are not asked to be heard.

 

God, thank You for the years of life which I have lived.

Thank You Lord for the stories I hear from others.

Thank You Lord for Ruth and Doris’ salvation.

And thank You Lord for something as simple as a poem to share their story.

 

GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS YOU.

 

P.S.  I didn’t get my bread today because the sourdough is dropped off on Tuesday.  Today’s trip was well worth my time.  I guess I’ll just have to go back!  I wonder with whom I will have the pleasure of talking with tomorrow?  (I enjoy being retired!)