The Empty Swing...

 

 

It was just a swing on the playground, swinging empty now, back and forth, back and forth as the soft breezes blew.  Once it knew the laughter of children at play.  Once it felt the joy of being pushed to and fro by happy hands or feeling the up and back of pumping feet.  Once it heard a child say, sweetly, “I’m six years old and I can swing high enough to touch the clouds!”

 

Now the swing sways empty.  Gone are the children who loved to play.  Gone are the children who loved to dance.  Gone are the children who loved to sing.  And, gone are the children who loved to swing.

They’ve gone to meet Jesus and Heavenly Father, to live with them in their heavenly home.  We ask, “Why?” but we have no answers.  Perhaps He needed their playful spirits to cheer Him through the heavy trials of His creation, His World, gone astray.  Perhaps He needed to hear the laughter of the little ones on His playground. Perhaps He needed them to dance especially for Him.  Perhaps He needed their angel voices in His heavenly choir.  Or perhaps He needed them to swing on His swing.

Don’t cry mothers.  Don’t cry fathers.  Don’t cry brothers or sisters.  Your precious little ones have gone to be with Jesus—and He is pushing them now.  Your arms will be empty for just a little while.  One day, you will be able to hold them close again, and they will answer all of your questions.  God will bless you and God will bless the little ones who fill the empty swing.

                                                                                    …Florene Mickelson

                              Mother, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother of many 6-year-olds!