This is my prayer to thee, my lord—-strike,
strike at the root of penury in my heart.
Give me the strength lightly to bear my joys and sorrows.
Give me the strength to make my love fruitful in service.
Give me the strength never to disown the poor or bend my knees before insolent might.
Give me the strength to raise my mind high above daily trifles.
And give me the strength to surrender my strength to thy will with love.
NOTE: I spent many years in formal education. I began in kindergarten and worked my way through high school to college. I eventually went to graduate school and earned my doctoral degree. I learned lots of things. What I learned on my life’s journey is worthy of three or four doctoral degrees. My teachers were experiences, friends, enemies, strangers, and loved ones. Pain, suffering, joy, and happiness were also my teachers. If we’re awake on our journey there are precious nuggets of knowledge to learn. Some of the wisest people I’ve met did not have the formal education I had, but they accumulated wisdom that formal education could never teach.
“Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.”
― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
NOTE: The beauty of life is all around us. Each evening after dinner I head out for a walk just as the sun is setting. The sunsets are strikingly beautiful. Each one is different. Each one fills me with awe. By the time I return home the evening stars are making their appearance. I don’t look down, I look up. My heart takes the photos my iPhone is not capable of taking. Become one with the beauty surrounding you. It makes a difference.
