The Happy Face

All everyone saw was my happy face, But inside was a heart as delicate as a thin glass vase. Surrounding this glass vase was a cage, The vase was full of pain and filled to the top with rage. All the years of not being able to express the mental anguish, I felt like I had begun to vanish. Who am I, I wondered? All through life I blundered. It felt as if no one even cared, With every hurtful word to every physical hit, I became more impaired. The more I became hidden, I felt forbidden. Always hiding in the shadows, Clinging on to my sorrows. Not belonging, The inevitable, I felt like I was only prolonging. UNTIL … In the far distance I heard a sound, I tried to run, but I had been found. A voice, He called my name, The closer He came. I tried to hide in the darkness, The closer He came, I felt so worthless. Hiding behind years of shame, Only, I am to blame. The closer He came bringing a light of love, There was such a peace that radiated from above. I didn’t have the strength to stand, Curled up on the floor I felt a hand. With just a whisper He told to me arise, With tears in my eyes, And my stomach in knots, He began to wash away all my dirty black spots. One by one they fell to the floor, To be remembered no more. My name He called and said, “follow Me”. “I have so much for you to see”. He took my hand, And I began to understand. He loves me more than I could possibly comprehend, He gave me a key to unlock the cage of everything that was penned. I unlocked to cage to my heart, With the strain of all the ugliness, the glass shattered and flew apart. He looked at me with a loving smile, And said, “I make all things new, and you are worthwhile”. © Deborah Seale Schnadelbach 2023