I shared this poem in my Father’s Day message this morning, and several folks have asked me to share it. I’m happy to do so!
An old man walking a lonesome road,
Came at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm vast and wide and deep.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim,
The rolling stream had no fears for him;
But he turned when safe on the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.
“Old man,” said a fellow traveler near,
“You are wasting your strength with building here,
Your journey will end with the passing day,
You never again will pass this way,
You’ve crossed the chasm, deep and wide,
Why build you this bridge at eventide?”
The builder lifted his old gray head,
“Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said,
“There followeth after me today,
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
The chasm that was naught to me,
To the fair headed youth may a pitfall be.
He too must cross in the twilight dim –
Good friend, I am building this bridge for him.” —W.A. Dromgoale
I am thankful for all of the fathers who said they would be courageous enough to be a bridge-builder for their kids! May God bless you as you follow through on this noble calling.
Craig T. Owens 