Prepared

by Cheryl Merrick

She remembers
     her feelings as a child,
     and now makes efforts
     to help the class feel secure.

Remembering the challenges
     of raising her son,
     the older woman
     wisely counsels her friend.

Learning Process

by Cheryl Merrick

Bumping into walls
Crashing into obstacles
Falling over cliffs
Bruised and shaken
The Lord
guides me to understand
the principles
of life

Prepared for this Work

by Cheryl Merrick

At the threshold of missionary service
I’m poised.
Wondering if I can do this work,
the confirming thought,
“You have been prepared for this”,
fills my mind with peace.

Remembering all the hours
I have struggled with writing articles
for the Ensign and the Stake* newspaper,
I see how my talents
have been honed.

Wisdom

by Cheryl Merrick

I see in the eyes of some
they think me wise,
 as if some noble gift was bestowed upon me,
a symbolic crown of my advancing years.

How can I explain the discomfort I feel?
I know all this “wisdom” is merely
the accumulation of learning 
from my mistakes -
mistakes for which I paid dearly.

Yes, I share my experiences
in the hopes that they will be the ones
to be wise-
far wiser than I have been.

Gaining Understanding

by Cheryl Merrick

How can we truly understand
hot without cold
hard without soft
smooth without bumpy
short without long
sweet without bitter
kindness without rudeness
gentle without rough
health without sickness