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To Which Image Should We Cling
Nostalgia, my sometimes-friend, an unwavering realist,
visits from time to time with a flood of memories
centering around the polar opposites that were~~Daddy.
This daughter's mind's eye clearly sees
the tired man who would work from dawn till dusk
at the factory and then plow till dark.
He taught, "Those who don't work don't eat."
He passed his strong work ethic on to me.
He had no opportunity to go to college,
but he and Mama made sure their four kids did.
They would have walked over hot coals to provide
for their family. And he was so protective~~~
Then Nostalgia flips the coin.
I see the man with the hair-trigger temper
and recall wondering what could set him off
badly enough to precipitate the devastating words
he would frequently hurl at me with unbridled anger,
leaving me emotionally prostrate.
Praying consistently has enabled me
to embrace this love-based truth:
The good in us won't void the bad,
nor will the bad negate the good.
At last, I’ve learned to celebrate
the GOOD in him, just as I should.
Copyright ©
Janice Canerdy
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