A Blessing for Equilibrium

Like the joy of the sea coming home to shore,
May the music of laughter break through your soul.
 
As the wind wants to make everything dance,
May your gravity be lightened by grace.
 
Like the freedom of the temple bell,
May clarity of mind make your eyes smile.
 
As water takes whatever shape it is in,
So free may you be about who you become.
 
As silence smiles on the other side of what’s said,
May a sense of irony give you perspective.
 
As time remains free of all that it frames,
May fear or worry never put you in chains.
 
May your prayer of listening deepen enough
To hear in the distance the laughter of God.

Morning

Life is too short to wake up in the morning
             With regrets.
So, love the people who treat you right
And forget about the ones who don’t.
             And believe
That everything happens for a reason…
         If you get a chance- take it;
         If it changes your life- let it.
Nobody said that it would be easy…
They just promised
It would be worth it.

Deep roots are not reached by the frost...

All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.

The Peaceful Warrior

I have no joy in strife,
Peace is my great desire;
Yet God forbid I lose my life
Through fear to face the fire.
A peaceful man must fight
For that which peace demands,
Freedom and faith, honor and right,
Defend with heart and hands.
Farewell, my friendly books;
Farewell, ye woods and streams;
The fate that calls me forward looks
To a duty beyond dreams.
Oh, better to be dead
With a face turned to the sky,
Than live beneath a slavish dread
And serve a giant lie.
Stand up, my heart, and strive
For the things most dear to thee!
Why should we care to be alive
Unless the world is free?

The Peaceful Warrior

I have no joy in strife,
Peace is my great desire;
Yet God forbid I lose my life
Through fear to face the fire.
A peaceful man must fight
For that which peace demands,
Freedom and faith, honor and right,
Defend with heart and hands.
Farewell, my friendly books;
Farewell, ye woods and streams;
The fate that calls me forward looks
To a duty beyond dreams.
Oh, better to be dead
With a face turned to the sky,
Than live beneath a slavish dread
And serve a giant lie.
Stand up, my heart, and strive
For the things most dear to thee!
Why should we care to be alive
Unless the world is free?