"Stay Awake!"

The old preacher

 Told me

  to pay attention.

  Not because

  I sleep during

  Her sermons,

  But today is Advent

  The start of watching

         And waiting for

The arrival

of the “One

who is to come!”


Pay attention

Don’t focus only on my

Pain.

Watch

Don’t indulge my

Sadness.

Be alert

Not focused on my

Problems.

Listen carefully

To the sounds of life

Not only my

Life.

Consider

The whole of life

Be not

Inattentive.

Observe

The worlds peoples

Be not

Self absorbed.

Patient

Not trying to control

All of life

Fitting it into my

Schemes.

Advent has arrived

Time to prepare

Take a fresh look

At my focus

Values

Wants and

Wishes

And lining them all up

As a simple gift

To the Child of Bethlehem

For the entire world!





















Richard W Smith

November 28, 2010