In Spite Of

In spite of my pain, I begin to speak.
In spite of my numbness, I begin to feel.
In spite of my tears, I begin to be brave.
In spite of my past, I live.

In spite of rejection, I am accepted.
In spite of mistakes, I am forgiven.
In spite of suffering, I am not alone.
In spite of weakness, I live.

In spite of hiding, I am revealing.
In spite of the heaviness, I become lighter.
In spite of the shame, I lift my head high.
In spite of the traumas, I live.

In spite of despair, I hope.
In spite of emptiness, I am filled.
In spite of the violence, I am peaceful.
In spite of all the deaths, I live.

In spite of the silence, I listen.
In spite of forsakenness, I trust.
In spite of blaming, I love.
In spite of my brokenness, live with me.

This is a poem, a confession, a prayer to God and an invitation. It is inviting God and the reader to hear my story, my pain and grief. However, I also invite you to share the feelings that arise in you when reading the words. How do you connect with the poem? Are there events or memories buried within you that might be shared with others or God?

Cindy L. Hershberger is a Chaplain Resident at BayCare - Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, Florida. She is an ordained minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America with a MDiv degree from Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio. She can be contacted at Cindy.Hershberger@baycare.org.