A Reflection of Me



A Reflection of Me

The fog lay heavy on the road of my life,
When out of the haze you appeared.
You took my hand and walked by my side,
And God knows the joy that we shared.

But the road got rocky, I stumbled and fell.
On the way, I let go of your hand.
I got up and started to walk on alone
With loneliness, I could not stand.

The fog started lifting, you called out my name.
So I turned around to see.
I looked straight into your tear shrouded eyes,
And saw a reflection of me.

Lord how can you love me when you are so pure,
And I am so selfish and blind?
But still, you have chosen to show me the way
To leave my self-pity behind.

The road is still rocky, the fog is still there,
But yet as I stumble along,
By your grace, you allow me just enough light,
To show me what's right and what's wrong.

God, I cannot be silent, I cannot be still,
When I think of the love you have shown.
I must try to be like you as much as I can,
And I don't have to do it alone.

Tom Dunkerton
Winter 1976

Image source: nbbcjeffco.org

This poem was written at a time when I was trying to make big decisions about my future and how I could serve God through my career. I was considering changing my major from Computer Science to Theology and to go into the ministry. I decided to stay on the path I was on and eventually went to work at IBM. Later I did decide to go into the ministry, but my time at IBM gave me skills I would later use to support myself while I got further education and then began my work as a bi-vocational pastor. My time at IBM also gave me time to mature and prepare me for the future in very many ways. But the poem is about so much more than career choices. It is about a living dynamic relationship with my life-long friend, my mentor, my Lord and my Savior, Jesus Christ.

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