This last week, I had an experience helping a friend who wanted to self-harm. Some of my thoughts about that experience developed into the first stanza in this poem, and the rest of the poem followed.
I don’t personally struggle with temptations to self-harm. If you’re reading this and you do struggle with those thoughts, please know that you are loved.
Take my hand
“I cut my wrists,
So I know I won’t feel comfortable in heaven.”
Christ said, “my wrists were cut for you,
Take my hand and you will be comfortable with me.”
“I’m different, I’m made fun of,
So I know I’ll feel alone in heaven.”
He said, “I was mocked for being different,
Take my hand, you belong with me.”
“My friends say I’m not good enough, and they left me,
So I know I’ll feel alone in heaven.”
He said, “in my darkest hour, my friends abandoned me,
Take my hand, and I’ll always be your friend.”
“I fail, and fail, and fail, and fail to choose the right,
So I know I’m not worthy to be in heaven.”
He said, “I know how hard it is to choose to drink the bitter cup,
Take my hand, I can make you worthy.”
“The world has taken from me, and abused me,
So I know there’s not enough of me left to go to heaven.”
He said, “the world abused and hurt me, too.
Take my hand, I know you are enough.”
“Others are so much more righteous than I
So I know I’ll never make it into heaven.”
He said “there’s room for everyone who wants,
Take my hand, and you’ll make it with me.”
“I doubt myself, I doubt in you sometimes,
So I know I won’t hold on all the way to heaven.”
He said, “I will come back to you as many times as you need.
Take my hand for this next step.”
“I’m a terrible person, I’ll never be worthy of love
So I know I’m not worth your help.”
He said, “Take my hand, and follow me.
Heaven wouldn’t be heaven without you there.”
