watch me.
i will go to my own sun.
and if i am burned by its fire,
i will fly on scorched wings.  S.Amil

*****

The hard working man sets his alarm for an early hour.

He pushes the covers back and walks into the bathroom to get ready.

It’s as dark as night outside the windows.

He gets dressed silently and leaves his sleeping wife with a kiss.

“I love you,” they say.

He goes into the kitchen to make coffee and then goes out, in all kinds of weather.

This morning it was snow.

The hard working man has a half hour drive to work.

He listens to the radio, or a podcast, or music.

He parks in the city and walks up to his office.

He always has much to do; meetings, meetings, phone calls, interviews, paperwork, emails, questions, answers, problems, people, situations; he does so much that people never see, never acknowledge, his hands and mind are put to the test every day and he does what he needs to do without excuse.

He thinks, “I know I could be doing something more, something better, something greater.”  He is like a kite pulling and tugging at the string.

This is a sign of something special.  To be forward thinking.  To be pressing ON and on.

To be willing.

Sometimes life allows him to gain new heights.

He has a wife and children.

They look up to him, they respect him, they want to please him.  They need him.

The hard working man works two jobs in the wintertime.

He is also a coach.

A very small team for a very big man who wants more.

He is willing to lay the groundwork, willing to wait the years it takes to grow a team.

He loves his boys.

This season, he begins each practice with words for a variety of listening ears.  What will they remember of his talks that come from places in his heart that he only shares with the most special of people?

He does every work out with them.

Even though he struggles with chronic pain.

He works out, he’s as alive as he can be.

Strength is life.

This sport is a metaphor for life.  He doesn’t hesitate to push his athletes into situations where they will often be defeated . . . . .or fly.

Winning is flying.

Losing is learning.

Losing isn’t pretty.

Life isn’t always pretty.

Winning doesn’t come often for this small team.

But glory is in the man himself, who was made in the image of God, not in the sport.

Sport and life are tests of time.

The hard working man passes the test.  He has it.

Persistance.

Patience for another chance, another day, another goal.

He also has love, so much gentle love.

After the day is done, it’s time to return home to his wife and children.

He always returns to them.

He eats a good meal.  He is often as hungry as a wolf, because he works more than he eats.

He is warm and safe.  The day is coming to an end.

In one sense he isn’t working any more, but in another sense he’s doing the most important work; resting, watching tv, catching naps, putting his arm around his son, calling his daughter sweet names, holding his wife’s hand.

Later, he slips between the sheets.

He rarely has a sleepless night.

He works so hard that he sleeps like a stone.

His alarm will go off the next morning at an early hour.