One Word

I asked for a word.

The response seemed Providential in its familiarity with my penchant for making almost anything unnecessarily complicated:

Not just a single word, but a single syllable.

An invitation

to shake off shadow and wake to wonder.

It has echoed through these dozen months

sometimes singing

often haunting

always reminding

(though I’ve not always heeded).

Giving me permission to pry

my eyes from fear (and its death-bringing clutches),

and, instead,

to look up,

ahead,

fastening my faith to what will come,

and trust that it is Good.

Powerful, that word.