A Better Way

Living life through touch from those who love and are loved,
Not seeing as the world sees, little body so stiff,
What to think, what to do, where am I, what is that?
His short life, a better way, an example to really live.

How does one begin to do it – see life anew, without vision, with hardened touch?
When we had it all down so pat, so ordered, so clear?
Working, spending, gathering, thinking, we really thought life was such –
And then, God sends this little boy, is the world now to be feared?

We could see, we could move our limbs exactly
When and where and how we want, the world moves our way -
We could do it all and see it all and feel it all,
And yet, we were the ones who really were blind and lame.

How much life can God pack in a three year old, imperfect shell?
How can those who love him, and be graced with knowing him
Only come to see real life after his birth?
We just thought we understood, but our view of life was deadly dim.

How much difference in living can a single smile make?
True meaning and purpose to those a gift,
Nothing asked in return, save time and closeness,
Just to touch a face or catch a spoken drift.

How is it to know and be denied the expected reply?
How hard to feel so deeply and be bounded so,
Some things must be told and heard now with ways not known,
To only be able to say “I love you”, “my head hurts”, “Can I go?”

Little boy so cute, so beautiful, handsome, yet something different -
Others look, so unaware of failing to hide their stare,
The power of cruel comparisons, the glare of the “normal”,
Can never hurt this one so strong, the others the unknowingly unaware.

For to really see and feel those around us requires a special gift,
We learn to see through different eyes and feel through unresponsive fingers,
To eternally impact those who love and are loved,
Requires concern and loving care only when expressed and then received,
Is a presence that truly lingers.

He touches me in ways I can never explain, to any but him or Him -
God has given us “words” and “sights”, a better way I’ve never had -
To communicate with such depth of love, unconditional - as only on the Cross,
A gift to share and cherish forever,
Between a special grandson and blessed granddad.

                                                                                                      Granddad