by Tom Wacaster
In 1815 a young lawyer walked through the beautiful fields near Plainfield, Massachusetts. At that time in his life he was depressed and uncertain as to whether or not he wanted to practice law. William Cullen Bryant was a romantic and loved poetry, a characteristic somewhat out of sink with the cold practicality of the legal profession. As he walked he noticed a solitary waterfowl flying into the crimson New England sunset. It was the time of year the bird should have been migrating with others of its kind, yet it was all alone. Could this bird be lost? Bryant noticed the bird was unwavering in its flight. It seemed to know its destination. It was alone, but it was not lost. Some "power," Bryant concluded, was guiding this bird to its destination. The youthful Bryant was so moved that he returned home, picked up his pen, and wrote the beautiful poem, "Ode To A Waterfowl." The last few lines of that poem go like this:
"He who from zone to zone
Guides through the boundless sky thy certain flight,
In the long way that I must tread alone,
Will lead my steps aright."
Men may abandon us, but not so our God. And though it may be that none go with us, our Lord will never forsake His faithful child. Yes, there may be times when we are alone, but rest assured that we are not lost. We are simply on our way home.
In 1815 a young lawyer walked through the beautiful fields near Plainfield, Massachusetts. At that time in his life he was depressed and uncertain as to whether or not he wanted to practice law. William Cullen Bryant was a romantic and loved poetry, a characteristic somewhat out of sink with the cold practicality of the legal profession. As he walked he noticed a solitary waterfowl flying into the crimson New England sunset. It was the time of year the bird should have been migrating with others of its kind, yet it was all alone. Could this bird be lost? Bryant noticed the bird was unwavering in its flight. It seemed to know its destination. It was alone, but it was not lost. Some "power," Bryant concluded, was guiding this bird to its destination. The youthful Bryant was so moved that he returned home, picked up his pen, and wrote the beautiful poem, "Ode To A Waterfowl." The last few lines of that poem go like this:
"He who from zone to zone
Guides through the boundless sky thy certain flight,
In the long way that I must tread alone,
Will lead my steps aright."
Men may abandon us, but not so our God. And though it may be that none go with us, our Lord will never forsake His faithful child. Yes, there may be times when we are alone, but rest assured that we are not lost. We are simply on our way home.