The sound of silence comes for us all, but noise drowns him out in youth, busyness in adulthood, reason in middle age.
Then, as kids leave, a spouse dies, laughter fades and doors close: the ticking clock or the halo of a streetlamp will watch as our old friend comes to talk with us again ... if we will listen.
Sadly many will have put off things for so long that hardening of hearts, not just veins, will defy him as death stalks.
Two women from similar eras, met. For one, a safe, sheltered life left unresolved issues to be unmasked by her twilight years.
The other battled all her life, then entered those years with peace, contentment and nothing to haunt her soul in the dying of the day.
My dad was an angry, defiant man until 78. When my mom died, he went to church, studied the bible, shuffled to a baptismal font, confessed his sins, reconciled to his children, and died in peace.
I dreaded having to bury him until we sorted our stuff, wept over past regrets and revoked the dark things he allowed into our home.
That left me standing with dignity, gratitude and love as I paid tribute to the passing of what others thought was a different man … which he was.
God help us to make peace with Him in the living years.
(c) Peter Missing: bethelstone@gmail.com
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