Another in the Fire

Encouragement

It’s funny how this one came to me. One visual and in one sitting after many days of having no inspiration. I shared with a friend who also writes in Tuesday Creations that I was really struggling with the theme (this was on Sunday). As we talked about what encouragement feels like to me, I expressed that it can be so much more than having someone cheering you on, which works great when you just need a boost. But when you’re in the hardest, darkest times in life, sometimes the best encourager just comes alongside and stays there for as long as needed.

I feel the heat under my feet becoming more intense.
Fear rising, still as stone as sparks begin to fly.
“You should move,” says one who smiles from a distance.
“You should put some water on that,” says another passing by.

The flames begin to flicker higher, my life passing before my eyes.
I cannot move, smoke obscures my sight; it’s getting hard to breathe.
“You probably should have thought that through,” a voice comes from the right.
“What’s your plan?” says one on the left, “I’d love to lend a hand....but….”

The fire ablaze and growing now, burning all dreams to the ground,
Panic that there’s no way out, desperate to flee the crackling sounds.
Then one steps in right next to me, holding space within the flames,
While quenching fear, the simple words came:  “I am here with you.”

No false hope or niceties, no lectures, opinions, or shows,
An angel who gets just what to say, “I have faith in you, you know.” 
The inferno doesn’t seem so hot now as the fire slowly dies.
My circumstances haven’t changed, but I'm no longer in them alone.  

Photo credit: Guidelight Health