96 Tears
? and the Mysterians hit, 96 Tears (1966), starts out: "Too many teardrops for one heart to be cryin'; Too many teardrops for one heart to carry on." That's a little bit how I feel today.
Last night my wife and I went for our regular walk in the neighborhood. An old friend called out to us to come and sit for a while. I resisted but finally went up to their porch to sit and visit (even though I knew it ruined the continuity of my exercise!). My friend is an older lady and has had a rough life, living alone since the passing of her husband several years ago. I had heard from her a while back that she had married a friend, who had lost his wife to Alzheimer's last year. I was happy for both of them. I met her husband and was impressed that he was genuinely friendly. He told me the bench I was sitting on was one of four he had made ten years ago. I commented on its sturdy construction and we continued to talk. It was a pleasant visit. My friend did most of the talking while her husband, my wife, and I listened. It was time for us to continue our walk so I said we had to go. My friend's husband stood up and invited us back anytime. He was so very friendly and then he said, "You know that bench was one of four benches I made ten years ago." I could barely see a wince come across my friend's face. We said our goodbyes and continued our walk. My wife and I didn't say a word for a few moments. But then we looked at each other in one of those moments that only old married couples can have and . . . we knew. I'm not a physician but my wife and I have both loved someone who had Alzheimer's. We knew the early signs of Alzheimer's and feared that this man, my friend's husband, had the disease. We feared too that my friend was painfully aware of it as well.
Too many teardrops for one heart to carry on! I love life and I love God's creation but I see so much sadness in this world of His. Well, maybe it's our world, not His. That's the problem. I look at my life today and I know that in a few years I may be suffering the inevitable ravages of old age. I look around and I see old people struggling with simple, everyday activities. I see sickness, disease, brokenness, poverty, pain, and sadness. Of course, I also see babies, happiness, joy, strength, and vitality but all these are seen through lenses that know the end of all things. It's sort of like that brief memory we have of the situation just before a terrible accident happened. We say, "I was driving along and just laughed at my son's silly joke and when I turned around . . ." When I turned around. Isn't that what life is all about? Things were going fine and then . . . disease, old age, accidents, fire, etc. happens. We have dreams about that one moment for years afterwards. We dream that we had a chance to stop time, that we had time to do something different, to prevent the inevitable. But we wake up and life is still just as hard and just as sad.
I still dream of a time when things will be better. They will you know. If this world were my only hope, "I would of all creatures be most to be pitied" (Hebrews says that). I look forward to a time when all this sadness, pain, sickness, and sorrow will end. Jesus said, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." Then He talks about a time when those who suffered most will be treated the best. He says, "Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst . . . And God will wipe every tear from their eyes." (Revelation 7:16,17). GOD will wipe away every tear! GOD will do it!
If I did not have this hope, I could not go on. Life is just too hard! You know this. You may know it better than I. But we have this Great Hope that Jesus Christ will return and right every wrong, heal every disease, and wipe every tear from our eyes. There will be no more tears! Isn't that a wonderful promise?! Thankfully, He gives us many of these blessings even before we meet Him - right here on Earth. May God bless you all and give you hope. ~Gary~ (4-20-2004)