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When I think of all I have been given,
this simple man I surely am--
the kiss of love; laughter of friends;
good work to do; so much more than
my small share of nature’s bounty--
I ought to bow my head in glad thanksgiving;
fall on my knees in utter remonstrance;
or, at the very least, utter a simple, silent
word of gratitude to the Hand of Life
that has blessed me so sustainingly all these years.
But instead of striding across the face of earth
with confidence and contentment,
I so often stumble through the hours of my life
with that vague feeling of dissatisfaction;
a craving in my soul; hungering perhaps
for the empty calories
that pride, possessions, and position bring.
While all along, I know have been graced
by the choicest blessings these days of living bring:
the Gifts of Life, so simple,
yet so profound and true.
There has been given unto me—to you—to all of us—
everything that abides when our lives are finally reckoned
in God’s great book of days;
all that survives when we are gone,
or when even those we love are taken from us.
The remnant of our love that remains
tallies the true worth of our gift.
If this cup of life is bitter sometimes,
so, truly, its sweetness forever abides.
To drink from this Cup of Life fully:
this is the deepest, true calling
for all children of this, our Mother Earth, to answer.
jbs
4/17/02 - 4/15/07
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