Turning Panic Into Peace

 

Hiding in a dark corner
Afraid in my breathing I will scream
I wait hoping the terror will pass
Wishing this were only a bad dream.

No noises are too quiet
Every light is too bright
All touches,  overwhelming
I hold on with all my might.

What if the terror doesn’t stop this time?
Although it has before
Each time I overcome, a victory
Yet I know there could be more.

This thorn in my flesh, I hate
That makes all time slow down
And inches seem like miles
While in my chest my heart pounds.

I often find myself looking
For a dark quiet place
Where I can hide for a while
And beg for God’s grace.

So again I am here
With my face in my hands
Fighting once again
To get my grip grains of sands.

Needing someone to hold me
Yet a presence too much to bear
I finally speak a desperate whisper
A frightened child's prayer.

Then he came to me
In the dark I felt him there
He heard my cries, my whimpering
In my simple pleading prayer.

So I put out my hand
Not knowing what I’d find
Hoping for comfort
And some piece of mind.

And in the stillness I realized
Stepping through my mind fog
Beside God himself stood
My little childhood dog.

Who in my most frightened moments
So many years ago
Sat with me in the stillness.
Until the demons would finally go.

And in this moment of reunion
In God’s eyes I did see
That he heard my prayer of comfort
And sent my boy to sit with me.

I could feel his soft fur
And his tongue lick my face.
And I held him and said "thank you"
For God’s loving grace.

So I’ll be alright
My spirit is set free
I can say now that I have my own
special angel watching over me.