Winter’s Grace

By Andy Oldham

An old man under a live oak for shade

A wasted moment in time

So I thought

Now I sit in this station

Realizing it is not for the cool of day

No, it is for peacemaking

Peacemaking, you say?

Brittle hands caress this old cane

Winds blow a weather-worn face

The battle of the mind

What can be remembered?

The pernicious

The pure

Manifest sin

Grace

Forgiveness

The candle of recollection pageant’s betrayal

The touch of memories so right

Relinquishing those gone wrong

The tablets of mercy lit by our faith

A smile arrives, and then another

The wrestling has been heard

It has been determined

Grace brought forth to judge

Finding peace in the winter of age

Knowing only

That which is pure

That which is just

That which is forgiven

That which brings peace

An old man under a live oak for shade

A wasted moment in time

Now lives winter’s best years

In the graceful peace of his mind.

Andy Oldham is the founder and co-creator of Christian Grandfather Magazine. He received his B.A. in religious studies and education from Anderson University. He has served as pastor to senior adults, and fills pulpits when needed. Andy taught memoir classes at the local library and after writing his personal memoirs wrote Everlasting Cronies, a story of growing up in rural Louisiana. His column in the Northside Sun Newspaper was well received by his community. A poem, Winters Grace has been honored by the Mississippi Poetry Society. He and his wife, Barbara, have six grandchildren and enjoy retirement in Madison, Mississippi.

Feature photo is used with permission from WallpaperAccess