Land of Beginning Again

I wish that there were some wonderful place
Called the Land of Beginning Again
Where all our mistakes and all our heartaches
And all of our selfish grief
Could be dropped like a shabby old coat by the door
And never be put on again.

I wish we could come on it all unaware
Like the hunter who finds a lost trail
And I wish that the one whom our blindness has done
The greatest injustice of all
Could be at the gates like an old friend that waits
For the comrade he’s gladdest to hail.

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photo by Lisa Allen

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We would find all the things we intended to do
But forgot, and remembered too late;
Little praises unspoken, little promises broken
And all of the thousand and one
Little duties neglected that might have perfected
The day for one less fortunate.

It wouldn’t be possible not to be kind
In the Land of Beginning Again
And the ones we misjudged and the ones whom we grudged
Their moments of victory then
Would find in the grasp of our loving handclasp
More than penitent lips could explain.

For what had been hardest we’d know had been best
And what had seemed loss would be gain
For there isn’t a sting that will not take a wing
When we’ve faced it and laughed it away,
And I think that the laughter is most what we’re after
In the Land of Beginning Again.

So I wish that there were some wondered place
Called the Land of Beginning Again
Where all our mistakes and all our heartaches
And all of our selfish grief
Could be dropped like a shabby old coat at the door
And never be put on again.

by Louise Fletcher

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Oh, that we might have healing in every wounded relationship, past and present. Who among us lives without regrets? But be of good cheer: God has promised that He will wipe away every tear in the ultimate land of beginning again (Rev 21:4).

-Dave

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December is a time of reflection. The end of the year is upon us. We consider the past year and reflect on what has worked, what has not, what we did right, and what we wish we could have done differently. We look forward to January, to the season of beginning again, to the season of hope, to the season of, "maybe I'll get it right this year."

I originally posted this in January, 2008, and love it so much that I wanted to share it again.

Remain faithful,
Dave