His Heart
His heart is like a fragile sculpture carved from stone. Weathered and worn from years in the rain, it's hard to imagine how beautiful it must have been when it was new, first hewn from the Rock and shaped into a human soul. Even now the craftsmanship is exquisite; the Artist knew that this piece was special all along. But as all great artists know, a masterpiece is oft maligned by those who do not understand, and this piece was no exception. Such a delicate work requires handling with care, but the world was not careful and neither was I. Again and again it fell to the floor. Again and again it was broken.
Oh, but this heart of stone could have been a fountain of love, had it only been tapped a bit more gently! Oh, but this heart, so heavy with sin, could have been great if only someone had given it a chance!
But it's never too late to start over. It's never too late to forgive. Slowly, he is beginning to pick up the pieces. Slowly, we are putting them back together. And slowly—ever so slowly—he is learning to love again.
I love his heart because it is not perfect, but it's coming closer every day.
I love him because he is simply Erik. And that is good enough for me.
NOTES:
There are several biblical references in this chapter. The reference to "the Rock" (God) is an allusion to Psalm 18:2 which reads, "The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer…." Tapping the rock gently to produce a fountain is a reference to Numbers 20 in which God instructs Moses to speak to a rock to cause it to gush forth water, but instead of speaking to the rock, Moses strikes the rock twice. The water is still produced, but God punishes Moses by preventing him from entering the Promised Land.