Facing Death

A friend's husband has metastatic melanoma and is now on hospice. It made  me think more about WHY and I wrote this poem...

Why pain and suffering, I wonder...

         

Isn’t there another way to learn

the lessons of living and dying?

Nature shows the way of survival

of the fittest among God’s creatures.

Even God suffered pain and death

at Gethsemane and Calvary

to show the way back to heaven

for man-His supreme creation..

What curriculum would I devise

to teach of patience and faith?

Not an easy life with no problems,

that wouldn’t do at all.

Forced compliance with principles

would not be a test, only agency

with opportunity to follow freely

or ignore would do, with consequences.

So, I go forward hesitantly, stumbling,

asking for strength-not knowing

what will come. Trusting in His plan

and one day understanding why.