One Person Poem by James Grengs

How can one person affect you so much?
How can one person bring so much pain,
So much ache in your heart?
How can one person drive you to question your own importance?
How can one person, in living their life, control yours-
Without, possibly, even knowing that they're doing so?
How can one person bring confusion,
Agony,
Shock,
Numbness,
In so little a time?

Why do we let people into our lives who might hurt us?
Sometimes, we cannot control, though we wish to.
Why do people hurt us?
Sometimes, even they don't know. Even they,
In the screaming chaos that is their own mind,
Don't realize how much pain they're causing.
Why does God allow these pains to come our way?
Why doesn't He remove our stony paths,
And give us the smooth meadows?

Sometimes, God knows we need the rocks,
To toughen our bodies,
To play in the meadow.

So how can one person cause so much distress,
Without meaning to,
Or maybe without wanting to?
God allows the rocky paths of life,
As paved by fellow man,
To strengthen us for happier days.