Of Novel Talk
From when my son was under three,
And dandled on his father's knee,
We've had our chit-chats by the hour,
And from exchanges each drawn power.We have them yet – just yesterday
We lunched together – yes, it paid
Off just as they have done before,
As we stepped back from whirl and roar.When I awoke today, I saw
That each encounter somehow was
A novel, written in the sand,
For in our memories they stand –As monuments of passing years –
Of days of struggle, joys, and fears,
As we grew up and played our roles
As Papa-Stu, and son – like those –Who've come and gone throughout my days,
In springtime, winter, holidays;
For that's how I've done ministry –
This latest chat-chat helped me see:Through fifteen novels I have spun
Encounters – I see everyone
As having life enriched by talk,
As through this vale of tears we walk.Take Davis-saga, I've just done –
Three volumes, filled with chat – each one;
A hundred people who he touched,
As life engage with life. So much –Of life's dynamics – where I've been –
Of what I've heard, and what I've seen –
Not that, of course, but of that type,
Where life encounters life just like –-We all do when in life we meet
Each other – we do more than greet,
Then pass along life's troubled walk –
We pause, have coffee, share through talk.By that I don't mean just the fluff
Of daily chatter – lighter stuff;
I mean where life encounters life,
When soul's extended in the strife.As I pass on that gift of talk,
I'm conscious of my lifetime walk
With friends who've been there by my side,
A gift from God – one way He guides –My life – a living tapestry
Of chat-chat's, where I've come to see
My way – so easily I'm lost,
But chatting does the trick – no cost –No cost, that is, if one will spend
Some time to pause; and fences mend;
Or ponder life's deep mysteries;
And laugh together as each sees –How life can be a lot of fun,
Despite its challenges, which run
Along each road of life we take –
Like ditches, potholes, cars that break –Just at a point least opportune,
As we must reach some place by noon,
And can't – frustration mounts in us –
Our chatting draws out life from fuss.Some people talk on-line like that;
I can a bit – but like to chat
When we can sit and freely talk,
Exchange our views of daily walk.For me that's how my ministry
Plays out – we walk and talk quite free,
And somehow as the years go by,
We're all enriched – like son and I.I thank you son, for once again
You've helped me see, through mist and rain,
The part I play in life each day –
"I share in Life the chit-chat way".navigation