"See Me" Poem ~Author Unknown

What do you see, nurse... what do you see?
Are you thinking - when you look at me:
"A crabbed old woman, not very wise;
Uncertain of habit with far-away eyes,

Who dribbles her food and makes no reply
When you say in a loud voice 'I do wish you'd try.'"
Who seems not to notice the things that you do
And forever is losing a stocking or shoe;

Who, resisting or not, lets you do as you will
With bathing and feeding, the long day to fill.
Is that what you're thinking, is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse. You're not looking at me!

I'll tell you who I am as I sit here so still.
As I move at your bidding, eat at your will:
- I'm a small child of ten with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters who love one another;
- A young girl of sixteen with wings on her feet,
Dreaming that soon a love she'll meet;
- A bride at twenty, my heart gives a leap,
Remembering the vows that I promised to keep;
- At twenty-five now I have young of my own
Who need me to build a secure, happy home.
- A woman of thirty, my young now grow fast.
Bound together with ties that should last.
- At forty, my young sons have grown up and gone,
But my man's beside me to see I don't mourn;
- At fifty once more babies play 'round my knee
Again we know children, my loved ones and me...

Dark days are upon me, my husband is dead.
I look at the future, I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing young of their own,
And I think of the years
and the love that I've known.

I'm an old woman now, and nature is cruel.
'Tis her jest to make old age look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles, grace and vigor depart.
There is a stone where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass a young girl still dwells,
And now again my bittered heart swells;
I remember the joys, I remember the pain
and I'm loving and living life over again;

I think of the years, all too few, gone too fast
And accept the stark fact that nothing can last;
So open your eyes, nurse, open and see...
not a crabbed old woman.
Look closer... see me!

Unrelated ideas

I have a couple of thoughts are doing somersaults in my head and I wanted to post all three before I forgot...they are not exactly connected, but I will post them just the same.


A quote I heard from James MacDonald (Walk in the Word) Why Some Trials Never End:
"If God didn't intend to use it for eternity, He never would have allowed it." Rings true to what Larry always says about God using hardships for our GREATER good.

A powerful quote from Nancy Leigh DeMoss (Revive Our Hearts)How to Show Strength and Dignity:
"Anything that makes me need God is a blessing." Sure Re-defines the term "blessing."

A humorous quote from Dad this week:
Dad was in his bed with his eyes closed, drifting in and out of sleep. He said to Mom, "You are such a sweet girl, if I could pick from the whole world, I couldn't find anyone better."
Carly was climbing on his bed just then and dumped a very large amount of very cold hand sanitizer right onto the palm of his hand. Now remember he has his eyes closed, so he doesn't know what's coming or who is doing it...of course he hollered out and said to Mom, "I just gave you a compliment, now I have to take it all back!"

A day for love--February 14, 2010