When all you can see is a world relentless in its harshness
may you be wrapped in the beauty of a gentle autumn day.
When it feels like we shall never find understanding
may you lay down upon this earth, on soft, solid ground
look up at a sky filled with wonder
feel the ground beneath you
and recall how wholly and completely we are all connected.
When you are wrung out, done, capable of no more
may you rest deeply and let yourself dream
knowing that this is the very best, most important thing you could do.
And when you dare to feel joy,
the bone-deep, belly-laugh, open your arms to the world elation,
may you feel it, may you know it,
and may you hold it with an open hand, delighted.
For we are all joyful.
We all feel despair.
This is living.
This is it.
You haven’t missed anything
done it wrong
or lost the manual.
We are here to experience.
We are here to love.
We are here to hold joy and grief with one another.
And we are here to engage with all of it.
