Goodness

A fuzzy moon hung hazy overhead, cocked to one side of the sky,

As we sat outside at dusk on the hard wooden bench,

Bewitched by warm winds breathing over the lake, inhaling us.

He spoke with wonder of heart failure recovery - incapacity redeemed -

And how unbelievable it felt to traverse the golf course with a body

Strong enough to walk the fairways, even up the steepest hills.

Just minutes later I heard him groan as his hip twisted unexpectedly,

Gave out in angry protest as if to splinter the upturn - the magic -

With pangs of distress and fear that golf might again disappear.

A day passed, and another, and part of me strained tense and defensive,

While his dragons fell to a doctrine of selfless and unusual generosity,

Even buying gas for a stranger’s car in the wake of seeming misfortune.

Today my heart unbolted to swing free in the wake of his example,

To loosen so many things I tend to hold protectively tight to the vest, 

To expect God’s presence anew – His goodness, His gracious mercy.

“For thou art a good God, Thou lovest mankind - and unto Thee we ascribe glory...” –St. John Chrysostom