The Undiscovered Country

What Matters

I received an email congratulating me for signing up at writing.com twelve years ago today.

Twelve years. It seems like a long time, but at the same time, not long enough.

I wondered at how much I have accomplished in that time, and I felt a little twinge of almost regret. When I started here, I had the singular dream of being published. Now, twelve years later, I'm still unpublished (mostly).

Have I wasted those twelve years?

Then I read the next email. Someone kindly reviewed one of my items:

Hello vivacious ,I'd like to wish you a very happy account anniversary, may you have a magical day. I chose this item to review for your anniversary because I thought the title and the item description were very curious. I think this poem is very short on words however it packs with it a powerful message in which I totally agree with.
I think this is an easy to understand and very special poem. it makes me feel like I am glad to be alive and that I am but a child being guided through life by an all powerful God. I did not see any mistakes with your writing.
thank you for sharing this item with me I appreciate your talent, you keep writing and I'll keep reading God Bless You

The item in question I remembered was a poem, but that's it. After looking at the date I added it, I knew why: 2006. Eleven years ago.

The poem in question:

"I Am Not Here" 

It's short enough, so here it is:

These are not my words.
This is not my voice.
These hands are not mine.
Count this not as wisdom from me.

Only to God.
Only to God does this all belong.

Between the review and the poem, I realized two things:

These last twelve years were not a waste. Quite the opposite. I've touched many people here (figuratively speaking). I've made many friends that I keep in contact with both here and on other sites. Perhaps my words have encouraged and even blessed others.

Best of all, the review and the poem together smacked me across the face (figuratively speaking). It was God's way of not allowing me to feel sorry for myself. My words matter. I matter, because he created me.

Regardless of how many years of my life passes, God will use me in ways both seen and unseen. Whether my own lofty dreams come to pass In the time or ways I want to expect them to is not important as far as eternity is concerned. What matters is that God's will be done when it needs to be done. Not too soon, and never too late.