NEVER TOO LATE by Jill Eileen Smith
It’s never too late,
Though time is slipping fast
To make amends
For troubled hurts now past.
To reach a hand
Though riddled now with age.
It’s not too late
To stop – rewrite the page.
It’s never too late
To let them know you care
Though time and distance
Separate you there.
To be the first
Let’s bridge the gap and then
It’s not too late
To start all over again.
It’s never too late
To hold the distant one
Though father, daughter,
Mother, friend, or son.
To speak the words “I love you from my heart.”
It’s not too late
It’s only time to start.
It isn’t too late – as long as there is breath and a willing heart. I wrote that poem many years ago, kind of based on this verse. “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Romans 12:18)
As I wrote Rachel’s story, I realized that while it may depend on us to bridge a gap, to apologize, to make amends, sometimes relationships can be mended but not restored. Look at Jacob and Esau, for instance. At one point Esau wanted to kill his brother. Twenty years later, Jacob made amends for the rift, but he did not follow where his brother might have led. They each went their separate ways.
Still, as long as there is life there is hope, and if there is someone in our life who would benefit from us taking that step toward restitution, then why not take it? Things may never be the same. But maybe they will be better. And sometimes, people won’t allow the thing that caused the rift to be talked out in a reasonable way. But we can still “if possible” be at peace with them as far as it concerns us.
Something to think about.
Selah~
