close at hand

Hard times etched their design upon what was once a tender face,
Years of lonely fortitude, countless days lived with little grace.
Yet in that crooked, broken smile,
There is a sign that all the while -
Through it all, Heaven was close at hand

Stories of darkened years reverberate with echoed loss
Give value to joyful hours obtained at such high cost,
And each memory held dear
Says it once again and clear;
Through it all, Heaven was close at hand

The sky never gets farther, the clouds never go away.
I can run to the mountains, and know they will always stay.
Though friends may come and some may go,
There's a truth I've found that you should know,
A secret that you should understand --
Heaven was always close at hand