I received this poem this morning from a dear friend of mine
A Child of Mine
"I'll lend you for a little time a child of mine" He said
"For you to love while it lives and to mourn when
it's dead"
It may be six or seven or twenty two or three.
But will you till I call it back take care of it
for me ?
it will bring it's charms to gladden you, and
should it's stay be brief, you'll have it's lovely
memories as solace for your grief.
I cannot promise it will stay, since all to the
earth return. But there are lessons taught down there
I want this child to learn.
I've looked the wide world over in my search
for teachers true. And from the throngs that crowd lifes
lanes I have selected you.
Now will you give it all your love , nor think your
labor in vain, Nor hate me when I come to take it
back again? I fancied I heard them say
" Dear Lord, Thy will be Done" " For all the joy
Thy child shall bring, the risk of grief we'll run"
We'll shelter it with tendreness. We'll love it while we may,
And for all the happiness we've known, for ever grateful stay.
But should angels call it much sooner than we've planned.
We will brave the bitter grief that comes and try to understand."