God’s Park Bench

I was walking through the park one day,
feeling sorry for myself.
I reflected on the troubles I had
and prayed to God for help.

As I strolled along a wooded path,
I closed my jacket from the cold.
I came upon a wooden park bench
where a woman sat, frail and old.

She had holes throughout her old brown coat
and toeless shoes on her feet,
and a crooked little hat that covered her ears.
She looked and smiled at me.

I returned a smile but started on by,
so wrapped up in my own bad day
“till she patted the bench, “Come set down.”
I heard her softly say.

We sat and talked just like old friends,
a complaint she never did say.
She spoke of the days when she was young
and the games that she would play.

After a while, she turned to me
and simply looked into my eyes.
“life is the way you look at it,
all the bad will seem small in time.”

“How can you be so strong and brave?”
I finally had to ask.
“Why aren’t you angry or a little bit sad?
You seem fine with where you’re at.”

“If my life is this…” She looked around,
“And I can still find a happy place,
shouldn’t you too see the best in life
and not focus on the bad you face?”

We spoke a bit more, “Now I must go,
I wish I had longer to stay.”
I gave her my coat and the boots that I wore
then turned and walked away.

“Thank you.” I said, turning back to her
but the woman wasn’t there.
I guess sometimes God has different ways
of answering someones prayers.

I now look down at the old brown coat
and a smile comes to my face,
and those toeless shoes, now a constant reminder
of God’s amazing grace.


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