The Morning After The Night Before

A couple of years ago, my mom and her sisters undertook the task of sorting through my grandmother’s pictures and making scrapbooks of them. Understand: this was years and years and years of pictures. My grandmother is 89-years-old. I’m not sure how far they made it in their task, but I do know that one lovely book exists that includes pictures of G-mama and her friends and family through her college years.

I looked through the book yesterday as I sat with G-mama in her room at the assisted living place where she is staying for awhile. When I got to the picture entitled "The Morning After The Night Before," I asked G-mama what “the night before” had been. After looking at the picture for a moment, she said, "Oh!" and then she blushed, "That was the morning after June [my grandfather] kissed me for the first time." She kept smiling and explained how scandalous they had been in their actions and how they were afraid of getting expelled! [G-mama and G-daddy met at Campbell College—later to become Campbell University :-).] It was really a lovely moment and I am glad that I could experience it!

I love the title she gave the picture. I love the concept of the morning after. I love that there is a new day after each night—that bad nights can turn to good days, that good days can live on as good, and even that good days can cycle to bad days even though bad days are hard. I love the cycle and journey of life. I think it’s a really beautiful thing.

I wrote this poem a few years ago. I updated it a bit today. I didn’t change the title though. I like it just fine…and I think my grandmother might be proud (despite this poem holding a different tone than her smile and blush :-)):

THE MORNING AFTER
By D. Deaton

"May what breaks my heart
Break, also, the heart of God.”
No trivial hurts but deep, passionate pains—sites of injustice.
Seeing God’s children caught in endless cycles of guilt
Shatters this feeble heart.

“And after you’ve suffered a little while
Your joy will be made complete.”
Discipline hurts.
But without pain there is no growth
And without the sting of truth there is no love.

“God created man in God’s own image—
In the image of God created he them…”
We, as humans, have the tremendous capacity to feel emotion.
But how much more must God feel emotion since God created us in God’s own image
And we are only a minute fraction of all that God is!

“Sorrow may last through the night
But joy comes in the morning.”
God created the sun to rise just as God designed the moon to set.
God, therefore, must desire for us to experience joy
Since darkness does not and cannot last forever.

“May what breaks my heart
Break, also, the heart of God.”
No trivial hurts but deep, passionate pains—sites of injustice.
Seeing God’s children caught in endless cycles of poverty and shame
Shatters this feeble heart.