The Light in You

He watched with sullen face and sad

The distant figures that were glad.

For round them shone auras of light

As golden as the dawn and bright

Enough to show the way they trod,

To guide their footsteps up to God.

But he – he had no light to show

The way ahead where he should go,

So by the road he sat in gloom

Foreseeing but impending doom.

No hope nor happiness could find

A way into his heart or mind.

“Why do they have a light, but I

Must live and in the dark, must die?”

He thought to himself, wishing he

Had been given a light to see.

“Why – it’s not fair!” he thought, and sighed

Wondering why he even tried.

The vale below was lit in gold

As if each person there did hold

Within their being, stars so bright

As never dimmed throughout the night.

By twos and threes and some alone

They left the vale and then were gone.

Now darkness lingered everywhere

And luckless sorrow in the air

Perpetuated the man’s mind

Making his soul so much more blind

By thanklessness and discontent

Than ever darkness made or meant.

Then, through the shades and clouds of gloom

As if a lamp lit in a room

Shone out, a light appeared and came

Closer and closer. Then the name

Of the man was called out so clear

As made his eye to shed a tear.

“Are you there?” the voice intoned

So soft and kind. The man just moaned

And cringed as closer drew the light

With she who bore it through the night.

“I’m here for you,” she said, and sat

With him beside the winding path.

“Why are you in the dark?” she said

Searching his face. He turned his head

Away and mumbled, “No reason.”

She shook her head, “If just for one

Minute I believed that was true

I never would have come to you.”

“Why?” she asked, her smiling eyes

Shining like stars descent from skies.

“Because,” the man began, quite slow,

“Everyone else that I know

Has light inside and all about.

For some reason, I do without.”

A moment passed in silence long

The man wondered what he’d done wrong

And sinking back to self-pity

Absorbed his soul in misery.

The lady at last spoke: “Why do

You think I have more light than you?

Why am I happy, joyous, glad

And you are only lost and sad?

Why is my life so full of good

And yours but what you wish you could

Have had like me from joy like gold:

What do I have that you can’t hold?”

At first the man did not reply –

He could not understand her ‘Why’.

“Why, you are you! And I am me!”

At last he said, impatiently,

“You have a light – it makes you glad.

I have no light. Thus I’m sad.”

“No,” she said, shaking her head

And smiling fit to wake the dead,

“I am not happy from my light

Nor joyous because life is bright.

No, life is bright because of joy,

The source that sorrow can’t destroy.”

“You mean,” he said, “That you have light

Because your happy? Not by right?”

She nodded then and soft replied,

“I have a light because I’ve tried

To be glad in spite of all ill,

By love of good and conscious will.”

“Then, how do I?” the man asked low

As on his heart there fell sorrow

And emptiness was felt within

Such as there ne’er before had been.

“How to be glad when I’m so vile?”

He asked, to which she said, “Just smile.”

Just smile? Was that the key he’d lacked?

The way in which his heart had slacked?

“But are you sure?” he pled with eyes

Bedimmed by doubt and miseries.

And she replied, “Yes, very sure,

You must have will and then the cure.”

With a deep breath the man then thought

Of all the good he’d seen and sought

Of all the laughter that he’d heard

Of every kind and thoughtful word

Of mercy, love and gracious peace

Of joy that woke when darkness ceased.

Like gleam of rays when dawn arose;

Or liquid stream of gold that flows;

Or shining, sliver, falling snows;

Or light of the aurora glows

Upturning frowns to scowls replace

There spread a smile across his face.

Then with that smile and all its light

The man saw clearly through the night:

All this long time he’d been his own

Deep lack of light and curse of gloam.

Choosing to be happy, he’d gained

A light of joy that e’er remained.

Remember this, as on the road

Of life you walk. Some times are good

And others sad might dim your glow,

But choose gladness and you will know

A light and joy that carry through

The darkest ways. The light in you.