"God Sent" (standard:poetry, 712 words)
Author: Lael Stalnaker	Added: Aug 21 2001	Views/Reads: 2698/0	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
This is for Benji, my editor and friend for over a year now. My heart grieves deeply for you. This is the first thing I thought of that could show how much I care. We just found out Saturday. Lael 8/20/01

"God Sent" 

He was an answer to two prayers/ One spoken aloud and one not/ When
friends proved they were/ Less than what they claimed/ And turned away 
without shame/ He came, indignant, to fill the void/ Of heart and 
space/ To which they had laid waste/ Not from pity or self service/ 
From compassion for another's need/ He stepped forward/ As so many 
stepped back and turned away/ Friendship offered, without price nor 
motive/ Simply for friendship's sake 

One hoped that he was the answer/ To that spoken prayer/ The one who
could not help/ In the way that was so badly needed/ Someone to be 
there/ To hold, to care, to bring hope/ With simple human touch/ To 
fill the empty soreness/ Of a seeking heart/ Someone to bring laughter 
and joy/ To a barren, lonely plight/ The one that prayed aloud/ Held 
his breath, seeing the promise/ Of that prayer fulfilled 

The one whose prayer was silent/ Reported each new thing/ To the one
friend who stayed/ But was so far away/ Too many miles to overcome/ 
When he needed someone near/ To help with heart's pain/ He told of his 
secret hope/ That this new friend/ Might really be the one/ Someone who 
could love him/ Someone that would support him/ Someone that would help 
him/ Overcome his fear and bane/ His one long distance friend/ Waited 
and waited for that day/ When the new friend would/ Come forward and 
complete/ The whispered prayer 

The one who prayed aloud/ Urged the silent one/ To speak his troubled
heart/ And tell the prayer sent one/ What was really there/ So much 
fear, so hard to say/ Still, this risk must be borne/ How is the silent 
one to know/ Unless he looses the words/ To find that unwhispered 
prayer/ With incredible courage/ And his heart in his throat/ The 
silent one spoke/ Telling the God sent one/ All that was hidden/ Within 
the vastness of a good heart/ The silent one woke/ Seeing what was 
before him/ Understanding the risk of loss/ And understanding the 
possibility/ That this was the answer/ To that unspoken prayer 

God had heard/ He had answered/ The prayer that was spoken/ And that
which was unsaid/ The new friend was indeed the one/ That God had sent/ 
To raise up the wounded one/ To bring him back from the edge/ To show 
him what it is to love and be loved/ To know another's touch that 
thrills the soul/ To have a partner and soul mate/ To have one who 
truly hears/ To have unconditional support in all trials/ To know what 
was needed at any given time/ To awaken a sleeping sexual being/ All of 
these and far, far more/ Joshi gave to Benji/ Love, the purest I've 
ever seen 

After a short time/ The body's illness departed/ No match for Joshi's
care/ Benji's heart was no longer barren/ Filled beyond its limit/ Time 
flew quickly and without notice/ Weeks became months but not quite a 
year/ Then came the summons/ That changed it all/ No warning, no 
parting/ Simply gone 

A flight to see relatives/ Joshi and his parents went/ But did not
arrive/ The plane had problems/ And the pilot did not know/ No word was 
heard/ For a solid week, time unending/ Then came word, the plane was 
found/ My heart froze for Benji/ As he told me the words/ Joshi was 
truly gone/ Never to return/ Tears blind me now/ As I try to write/ I 
can't help him through this/ Nothing I say will work/ I will give and 
always have/ My unending support and love/ My spoken prayer had been 
answered/ As had his silent one/ Random chance came and took him back/ 
There is no blame to attach/ Please, Elf, never forget that 

Remember that he came/ Don't dwell on him gone/ Remember what it felt
like/ Don't let that turn bitter/ Remember what he taught you about 
life, love and your body/ Don't ever forget, by choice or chance/ 
Remember this: He will never be forgotten from now on/ As long as there 
are eyes in the world to read/ Remember what he did for you/ And some 
day/ Do the same for another 

08/20/01


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