learn.

the more i sit with her 
the more i learn. 
the more i listen, 
the more my heart 
learns to be 
soft and attentive 
to open the 
forgiveness and grace 
in my hands 
because that is what 
she has taught me.
she knows a little about 
forgivness. 
she knows a little about grace. 
she knows
a lot  
what it's like to be hurt 
over and over 
she knows a lot 
what it's like 
to be mistreated.
and those wrinkly soft hands of hers 
know how to unfold 
in the suffering 
and share forgiveness. 
the more i quiet myself 
the more the stories 
fall out of her. 
and i learn some more 
through living and breathing 
experiences that are 
not my own, 
but i can learn before i get there. 
she is a wealth of 
wisdom
a well of living water of 
stand alone 
truth. 
i am honored to sit at her feet. 
she's walked the 
long hard road, 
filled with deserts, 
mountains, 
and barren lands,
and yet. 
Christ Himself 
has walked the road 
with her. 
never leaving. 
never forsaking. 
ever sustaining. 
and i learn of Him. 
through her. 
through the power 
of testimony. 
of her standing stones 
of the faithfulness of God.
she has taught me 
to not let the hard things
make us just that, 
hard. 
but to let the rigid 
unforgiving things 
soften our own edges 
and allow the pain 
in our hearts, 
the unbearable
unspeakable pain 
to be made more 
bearable 
through a life that 
clings to Christ,
for He alone 
sustains. 
it will forever be my honor 
to learn 
learn 
learn 
at her feet.