Distance

Distance is a strange thing,

It hushes some things, and lights up others,

It separates, but brings together,

It is so powerful at times,

So weak at others,

How it is both is a mystery,

Distance is like a magnifying glass,

Upon one’s words it looks deep,

Peering into what is said,

But all of your actions are left empty,

Through the lens of distance, truth is blinded,

And other truth on full display,

Distance creates loss,

Loss creates pain,

Pain creates endurance,

Through endurance comes joy,

And joy breeds fulfillment,

But the pain never really goes away,

So there are both pain and joy in distance,

If one rides the waves of both,

It forces you into faith,

You must turn to God,

You cannot give up,

You must give up,

All of yourself,

You must give it up to God,

But still there is distance,

Still pain,

Still loss,

Still hope,

And still broken dreams,

There is no path,

There is no clear way,

There are no rules and no guidebook,

I have no clue what to do,

No clue if I have faith,

No clue what faith is…

But,

Despite the pain of distance,

I will do it anyways,

Without a map, I will journey,

Without a path, I will walk,

Without a guide, I will traverse,

Without a single clue in my mind, I will toss myself into the air and fall,

And maybe that is faith,

Maybe,

Maybe not,

Without distance;

I would never have found such joy,

I would never have felt such pain,

And I would never have found what faith is,

Pain has shaped me, and will,

Joy has sustained me, and does every day,

And faith…

I don’t know yet,

Maybe I never will,

Though I wish it weren’t so,

I am thankful for the distance.