5 March 2014
A Different Set of Values
Posted in Family life
SU QLD supporter Dennis Scanlon is a published poet, who has put pen to paper to write a beautiful ode to school chaplaincy. “My great joy is sharing the gift of word and music – there can be nothing better, than giving back – sharing – something that has brought us joy,” Dennis says.
Thanks for sharing your gift with us Dennis!
A Different Set of Values
By Dennis Scanlon
She’d wondered how her father could just leave, the way he did –
Take himself another woman: single, with a kid.
Younger – yes. Attractive – more – than his wife of sixteen years-
Her questions went unanswered, though washed through all her tears.
Was it her fault, or her mum’s? Her brother shared the blame:
Often those who are aggrieved, are left to bear the shame.
Love can cast weird shadows, when circumstances change:
A different set of values, can make a loved one strange.
‘Where to turn, to ease the pain – where do the answers lie?’
‘How to numb the hurt I feel?’ her heart, her soul would cry.
Her peer group took her into drugs: deepened her despair.
Her brother turned to alcohol: there was no answer there.
In pain, she turned to Mary: Chaplain at her School;
Shared the hurt deep in her soul, from father’s actions, cruel.
They talked through all the fear and shame, the questions in her heart,
And slowly, over many weeks, made another start.
Two years Mary had been there, earned all the kids’ respect.
Never judging anyone – her answers straight, direct.
She lived the Faith she practised: religion – not her theme:
Just to be with those in need – to hear them when they scream.
They talked through her rejection: they cried through all her pain.
Mary helped her brother, mother – all found Hope again.
Only time would heal the wounds – time Mary longed to share:
The joy within the Chaplain’s heart – a life of Loving care.
Our prayer, is that you never know, the pain that young girl felt:
The anguish which her father’s actions, to her spirit, dealt.
We long to have a caring heart in every school each day,
We all can make a difference: to show Love is the way.
To read more of Dennis’ poetry, visit http://www.bushverse.com/scanlon/scanlon.html.
