Second Hand Suffering

Words: Mary Jo Manly

Images: Ben Manly

Watching you suffer, I feel a tightness in my chest,

A heaviness in my stomach,

A catch in my breath

I try to wait on the Lord, like the words I’ve read

But I want to fix it now, I should be able to fix it

Only nothing works

Everything that I thought was right

No longer makes sense

I want to take care of you

Like when you were little, and things were simpler

When I could kiss your pain away

And tickle you until you smiled again

But you are not little anymore; I can’t protect you anymore

And maybe I never really could

So instead I rub your back

I plead silently with God

I take a deep breath

And I remind myself

That I am not the only one who loves you so deeply