A Moment In Time

A Moment In Time

A man was deeply troubled by the passing of a friend,
And went to God for answers and the angels let him in.
God sat before a fireplace, and a table made of stone;
And except for a weeping angel, the Lord sat there alone.

The angel cried a river of tears, despair upon his face;
He knelt before the Lord and watched the flame from the fireplace.
The Lord spoke to the angel in a tongue unknown to men;
And the man watched fascinated, as his frown became a grin.

The man beheld an hourglass upon the table of stone;
God said to the man, "What troubles you?", as the angel left them alone.
"A friend I loved is gone from me, Death took him yesterday;
I don't understand how life is fair, if things can happen this way."

"And what meaning has this, the angels tears, and the glowing fireplace;
What can he see in the light that brings a smile back to his face?"
"You have many questions" the Lord replied, "as all my children do.
And today I see the answers here, will bring some peace to you."

The angel returned and sat the hourglass before the man;
And he saw that the glass was silver, and filled with golden sand.
A single grain fell from the top and glowed for day as bright;
It fell into the bottom and then disappeared from sight.

Instantly the fireplace flame was bright as dawn in spring,
the man asked of the Lord, "What is the meaning of these things?"
"Your life on earth is more precious than gold, each moment touches another;
your purpose is to make these moments golden for one another".

"Your brother's life was short it seemed, a moment passing in a dream;
but the effect of the life of this one man,
cannot be seen from where you stand.
One deed, a word, his smiling face, removed many an evil from it's place;
If he had not given a smile this day, God pointed into the flames to show the way.
Things in life would have changed and been this way";

A darkness rose inside the flame,
and though it still burned, it was not the same.
"Many people have been changed, better to one another;
simply because of the actions and the life of your brother".

The Lord added a single grain to the light,
and instantly everything was right.
"Your ways are a mystery", Lord, "to me, But now I think I begin to see;
The moments my brother has brought to the world,are rarer than diamonds,
more precious than gold.

"The world is much better because he was here,
and this is the truth we should all hold dear".
"Your words are more true", said the Lord, "than you know,
This IS one of the moments more precious than gold."

"A Miracle was born of your brother's walk,
for without him, we would not have had this talk.
The things you have learned you will teach to the others;
and comfort the hearts of your sisters and brothers."

So write what we've said, and the things you have seen;
so that all those who read them will know what they mean.
And as they all read them, each sentence and rhyme
They will celebrate THEIR loved ones'
moments in time.


Copyright 2007 Robert L. Ward
Dedicated to my brother in spirit,  Robert Avery Smith: December 27, 2007