A cold dark grey day with clouds hanging low, the sound of the haunting wind blowing, The rain falling harshly against his home causing it to become limp and wet. He pulls the only blanket he has upon his shoulder revealing the daily horoscope for the day. What irony for it forecast a beautiful prosperous day for all that was born under this sign. The prediction read, a day of hope and good fortune for those that celebrate this day. Sid was his name. He was cold, hungry and alone. He recalls while trying to curl up tighter to stay warm, a day when he sang out from the local corner church’s choir. Amazing Grace how sweet the sound. He curses his memory and thinks to himself, where is that amazing grace at now? He reaches down to the only friend and warmth he has had in years and holds the bottle up to find his friend is gone. Panic rages through his cold shivering body. He tosses the bottle over to the side, the shattering glass echoing off of the bridge’s cold concrete walls. What shall I do now he thought while feeling angry for the way life has unfolded before him? He leans back against the concrete wall, sets his house to the side to dry once the sun comes back out, and weeps violently within. I will not cry I will not cry he yells out for all to hear but none hears, so he thinks. Tired, weary and with severe hunger pains he sighs deeply and lays his head back and falls into a deep sleep.
In the midst of the field a beautiful slim lady stands singing a soft melody. A song that he knows not the words to but the sound is so peaceful and tranquil. Who is this beautiful creature before me he thinks. She turns toward the huge Oak tree and runs gingerly towards it. Her singing has stopped; she kneels down and begins to weep bitterly. As he moves in closer not wanting to disturb her, he recognizes the tree, he sees carvings on it, a heart with the words that say, Sid loves Rebecca. Oh could this be? He looks up and he sees the skies of blue, the sun high above, he feels the soft breeze, on this beautiful spring day. The birds were singing, butterflies drinking the nectar from the flowers. It was a day of perfection, a day of hope, and a day of good fortune. He could hear the sound of children’s laughter. Where are these children? Who do they belong to? Then, a man of medium build, not handsome, but his countenance was one that Sid had never seen before. Who is this man? Why is walking toward Rebecca? Are those his children that follow him? This man kneels down to Rebecca and offers her his hands. Wait I see, could it be? Sid quickly glanced down at this man’s feet and there he saw that they were the same as this man’s hands. Rebecca takes the hands that reach to her in love and as his hand tightly holds her hands, she begins to smile and sing once again. Who is this man? Who are these children that follow him?
The sound of a two angry clouds crashes together and roars a boisterous cry of doom. Sid startled by the thunder leaps to his feet, his blanket of black ink falling to his feet. He glances down, and finds that the rain is now pouring into his fine shelter of concrete and wood. He stares out of the tunnel through the rain and into the dismal field before him. His thoughts are his enemies on this day. Rebecca, oh I love and miss you so much. But to hear you sing again, to touch your delicate soft skin, to run my hand through your velvet hair, black as the night. Oh how you wanted so much to give me many babies, all I ever wanted was you my Rebecca, just you. A tear fell onto the rain puddle below and quickly he wiped his eyes and stared boldly to the cold before him, I will not cry I will not cry. He kicked the broken glass and cursed that his friend had abandoned him on such a day as this. A day that was promised to be a day of hope and good fortune, what a joke Sid thought to himself. There is no hope and I do not believe in good fortune any longer.
Suddenly, a feeling of warmth surrounded him in the midst of the cold damp air and a light surely that is a light coming from the end of this concrete bridge. Sid raised up his arm to block the brightness of the light. It was a piercing and blinding light. With much amazement, Sid saw the same man that held his hands out for Rebecca, was standing at the edge of his concrete shelter. Sid looked into the loving eyes of this man and felt a tremendous urge to fall to his knees.
The man spoke, calling Sid by name, “Sid come unto me for I shall give you rest”.
Sid’s knees buckled and his legs felt as though they were not going to hold his whole 140-pound frame. Sid became grossly aware of the rank smell of alcohol and the filthiness of his body and dropped his head in shame.
This man spoke, saying, “Sid this is a day of hope and good fortune for you. You have a beautiful voice Sid, I always loved it when you would sing Amazing Grace, and I have missed your voice ringing out into the Heavens. It was like a river flowing over the rocks, the wind whispering to the leaves of the tall Oak tree, declaring your praise and love for me.”
Sid stood in awe at the love he felt radiating from this man. The closest he had ever felt this kind of love was for Rebecca. How could this be? This man still standing at the entrance of the concrete bridge, brilliance shining all around, drawing Sid closer to the plan and purpose of this day’s record in Heaven.
The man spoke calling Sid by name once more, stating, ” Sid you are a poor man, I have heard your cry. I have come to save you out of all your troubles.” At the sound of this man’s voice, Sid’s cold stony heart began to soften and he began to cry. He walked to this man, and knelt down and confessed that he was a poor man, and he needed salvation. As the man reached his hands down to Sid, Sid noticed the bloodstains upon them and then he knew whom it was that had come to bring hope and good fortune to him. Sid looked up into the face of this man, and asked him if his name was Jesus. The man smiled and said you remembered! Jesus reached for Sid and drew him close, at once Sid felt a bolt of lighting shooting through him. His heart for once in many years was free of the pain and guilt of the life he had lived, the lives he had destroyed. He thought of Rebecca and Jesus smiled and said “She awaits your entry and wants to introduce you to your children that never made it here on earth.”
Sid thought to himself, it is a day of hope and good fortune.
Together Jesus and Sid walked side by side into the brighter light where the Father,
Rebecca and the children waited for the arrival of Sid to come home.
Rhonda Rhodes joybug56@arkansas.net