Poetry

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Daniel eased his broken foot onto the top of a large stone

Wincing slightly as he sat and squinted into the sun as it shone

Naturally his injury and the bright light both gave him pain

But the trip that he was missing put the other two to shame



For weeks he'd been fundraising for the senior class affair

And though he'd earned the most, he was the only one not there

He thought of all his friends flying down the Aspen slopes

Probably having the time of their lives, and calling him a dope



It was all that cheerleader's fault for dropping her pompom in the hall

Leaving it right in front of a door; of course someone would fall!

Why did I have to volunteer to get Mr. Bell some chalk?

Daniel sighed and leaned his crutches against the silver rock



He turned around as a flash of blue sped past his line of sight

It seemed to disappear just like a sudden flash of light

Confused, he looked until his eyes settled on a wooden bridge

And gasped when he saw a woman throw one leg over the edge



He grabbed his pair of crutches, stood up, and shouted, "Wait!"

Praying with every step-swing-step that he was not too late

Finally standing at one end, he found her head in hands

Shoulders shaking, crying softly, tearing his heart in strands



"What's the matter?" he whispered, touching her on the arm

"What's so bad about today you'd want to do yourself harm?"

She looked up, tears streaks on her face, and said, "One year ago

I ended the life of somebody that I didn't even know"



She went on to tell the story of her one and only love

A boy who lived across the street when she was growing up

How one afternoon she gave him her most precious gift of all

Only to have him move away and never write or call



She was halfway through a letter to tell him of the news

That if he came back for her, there'd be three instead of two

When she got a card in the mail, inscribed with silver pen

Inviting her to his wedding; she could no longer pretend



So she took the bus to a clinic on the outskirts of the town

Signed the forms with a shaky hand and laid her money down

There was no turning back as the nurse lead her down the hall

She remembered lying on the bed, never feeling quite so small



"I never thought of it as a baby, at least I never tried

Until I saw pictures on TV - a piece of me just died

How could I have murdered somebody who did nothing wrong?

I'll never be able to sleep at night again, I can't go on!"



Daniel had been weeping all throughout her tragic words

He offered her a tissue and said, "Have you ever heard

The story of a man whose life had not a single sin

Yet from his birth there were many people who still hated him



He healed the sick and raised the dead and forgave all who asked

He loved everybody in the world no matter what their past

But then he was betrayed to those who wanted him to die

They beat him up, and mocked his words as he was crucified



Yet even as he suffered hanging high upon the cross

Jesus Christ forgave the ones who jeered and hissed and scoffed

It was for these that he came down to offer himself up

And even now, He wants to show you that same kind of love"



The woman looked at Daniel with reddened, glistening eyes

"I always thought those stories were just fairy tales and lies

But if it's true, oh could it be?....even after what I've done?"

She paused for a moment, then said, "I'm too tired to run"



Then where moments ago, she'd nearly tried to end her life

Daniel took her hands in his and led the woman to Christ

Her prayer was the sweetest sound he thought he'd ever heard

And he didn't open his eyes until she said the final word



With that amen, she smiled and wiped her tears with her jacket sleeve

She gave Daniel a hug and whispered quietly, "I believe"

He handed her a card from the church where he had been baptized

"See you Sunday," he called as she walked away, tears in his eyes



For the longest time, he stood there, thinking about what might have been

If he hadn't broken his foot at school, if he had been able to go skiing

She would have been just another name, a footnote in the paper

Instead of the woman a boy on crutches carried to the Saviour

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