In time, you stop gathering things and begin to collect moments. You learn to draw a

deep furrowed line in the world to hedge off the chaos and begin to measure life by

the wealth of blessing without sorrow and suffering that has spurned evil for good.

At long last, you cease competition and cleave to the unseen world. Suffering

enables you to pour out of a desperate need to inspire and comfort instead of

underscoring and highlighting achievements. With reverence, you embrace the

obscurity of silence and waiting.

In the end, you hold nothing

back and return to the beginning without thought of losing ground. Tears fall and

the heart swells with gratitude because you know that it’s always been about the

blinding darkness of Skull Hill, and unapproachable light of an empty tomb with neatly

folded grave clothes found in that obscure garden—and your trembling ascent to

obedience and significant calling. It’s always been about one nod of approval you could never earn.

©️Bonnie Saul Wilks