I am a chaplain

I am a chaplain.

I see things.

I hear things.

I know things.

If you could know what I know.

If you could feel what I feel.

If you could hear what I hear.

You would understand.

The man you see, looking strong, has just lost his father.

The woman you pass in the hall just misses her daughter.

The young worker who smiles as he limps,

was shot in the ankle in a refugee camp.

The team member you see eating alone

watched his family gunned down while running from home

That nice guy at your table with a generous hand,

was a child soldier back in South Sudan.

I am a chaplain.

I see things.

I hear things.

I know things.

If you could know what I know.

If you could feel what I feel.

If you could hear what I hear.

You would understand.

The supervisor that always seems mad is fighting depression.

The person speaking Spanish wants an English lesson

The tired man in the cafeteria sleeps in his car at night.

The elderly woman can’t retire because money’s tight.

The woman with no kids is having surgery next week

Motherhood dreams for her is looking pretty bleak

The worker on the line’s been there all his life

Bought a house and raised a family with that knife

I am a chaplain.

I see things.

I hear things.

I know things.

If you could know what I know.

If you could feel what I feel.

If you could hear what I hear.

You would understand.

That middle aged guy just lost custody of his kids.

The new hire is hungry, and there’s no food for him.

That young man sleeps on a floor each night

in an empty apartment, no family in sight.

The woman on the line misses her baby at home,

but can’t pay the bills unless a paycheck comes

The administrator doubts his decisions, and the worry shows.

The guy you eat with is an alcoholic, but no one knows.

I am a chaplain.

I see things.

I hear things.

I know things.

If you could know what I know.

If you could feel what I feel.

If you could hear what I hear.

You would understand.

The young woman across the way raises her kids alone.

Your coworker has a son in prison, far from home.

That guy with a sense of humor gambles his money away.

That person who seems heartless had some bad news today.

That woman who tells you to move from her seat

just gets by on routine, and can’t handle change easily

The young worker has no money for a car.

That quiet guy has no friends, and making them is hard.

I am a chaplain.

I see things.

I hear things.

I know things.

If you could know what I know.

If you could feel what I feel.

If you could hear what I hear.

You would understand.

All of us, everyone, has a story to tell

Sometimes what you see on the outside,

doesn’t tell it so well.

Love one another, it’s a good thing to do

Cuz You don’t know what they’ve been through

be kind, because the world needs love.

Just show a little mercy from above!

I am a chaplain.

I see things.

I hear things.

I know things.

If you could know what I know.

If you could feel what I feel.

If you could hear what I hear.

You would understand.