Blackened hairs upon my chin
Belie the wisdom found within
From years of error and false starts
Fallen dreams and broken hearts
The day will come when gray I'll be
My wisdom then others will see
But only if my words and deeds
Come through love and fill their needs
So until then I'll grow and learn
And through my life their respect earn.
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I looked in the mirror and saw that more and more of my beard is coming in gray. Being in the Air Force, I can't grow it out to see what it looks like.
ReplyDeleteMy father and mother went gray at a younger age than I am now which has a mixed affect on me. In my youth I always associated manhood and adulthood with having gray hair. So I often get stuck on the idea that I'm not really an adult because I haven't yet gone gray. I also get hung up on the idea that other people's perception of me is that I'm not experienced or wise because of the way I appear. Because of this misconception of their perception, I often act how I think they see me, and not like the kind, gentle, wise man I've become and am becoming.
One other thing I've learned, as I get closer to the big 4-0, is that there really is no outward mark of inner wisdom and strength. I've met quite a number of men and women with healthy shags of silvery hair who have no wisdom or gentleness in their hearts. I'll take true wisdom and gentleness any day.
Also, true wisdom and gentleness, I think, comes from being broken down, and then rebuilt. Lately God has been busily breaking me down to my component parts so I will be able to focus on Him rather than on me or any other thing of this world. And I'm very, very thankful.