What You Have Given Me

Granted I was bored today during a seminar (which I'm sure shocks none of you) but I've been thinking alot about a dear friend that passed away this summer. Many of you know Neal's story but for those of you who don't Neal was born with Kidney failure and as a baby had a successful transplant from his dad. About 4 or 5 years ago Neal's boby rejected his kidney and through 3 or 4 long years he fought through dialysis and many other physical pains and elements before going home this past summer. While it has been so hard to lose this boy who is like a brother, this morning I was just thinking about all the things I learned from Neal and his valor and strength and how I that plays into my yearning to help hurting people and what he has taught me that will guide me in that and wrote this:

What You Have Given Me

I have a feeling inside
Because I know you are looking down
And it gives me a sense of peace and tranquility
to replace the fear and inadequacy inside of me

And it has taken awhile
For me to realize you aren't far
Yet you were speaking to me all along
I just wish I had listened sooner

But now I see you everyday
Recycling through my experiences
Laughing at my sarcasm
that isn't close to matching yours
Smiling with me in my joy
Holding my hand and comforting me
when my heart breaks
Hugging me as my soul weeps

You have you have provided me with wisdom
A wisdom I don't even understand that I have
You have shown me strenght that I will always admire
Patience that I want to immulate
You have shown me how to deal with heart ache
And to persevere during trials
You have shown me how to love
And how to be part of a family
You have shown me how to have humility
And given me the confidence to be real

But above all you have shown me how to listen
To be in the presence of hurting
And to mask in the silence of others pain
While offering a glimmer of hope
Because you have shown me there is more on the other side
And that above all is what you have given me.