Poems and Sayings: Topics L - Z
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Love Poems & Sayings
Marriage, Weddings, Love
Poems for Mom
Occupational Poems
Pastor or Priest Poems
Poems of Sympathy & Comfort
Thanksgiving Poems
1. Let me give you my hand;
May it ever be there for you.
Let me give you my shoulder;
May it always comfort you.
Let me give you my arms;
May they only hold you.
Let me give you my heart;
May it only love you.
- by Anon.
2. Smile for me today
as I will smile for you
for in that passing moment
our eyes will softly meet
and our hearts will gently touch
- by Anon.
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast.
It is not proud, it is not rude.
It is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered.
It keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with
the truth.
It always protects, always trusts.
Always hopes, always perseveres.
Love is giving with
no thought of getting. It is tenderness enfolding
with strength to protect.
It
is forgiveness
without further thought of the thing forgiven. It
is understanding of human weakness, with knowledge
of the true man shining through. It is quiet in the
midst of turmoil. It is trust in God with no thought
of self. It is the one altogether lovely, the light
in the mother's eyes, the glory in the sacrifice,
the quiet assurance of protection.
It is in the expectation of our Father's promise
coming true. It is the refusal to see anything but
good in our fellow man. It is the glory that comes
with selflessness and the power that comes with assurance
of the Father's love for His Children. It is the
voice that says "no" to our brother, though "yes" might
be more easily said. It is resistance to the world's
lust and greed, thus becoming a positive law of annihilation
to error.
Love ... the one thing no one can take from us ...
the one thing we can give constantly and become increasingly
rich in the giving. Love can take no offence, for
it cannot know that which it does not of itself conceive.
It cannot hurt or be hurt, for it is the purest reflection
of GOD, Good. It is the one eternal, indestructible
force for Good. It is the will of GOD, preparing,
planning, proposing always what is best for all His
universe.
Anonymous
Not only for what you
are, but for what I am when I'm with you,
I Love You
For the part of me that you bring out,
I Love You
For putting your hand into my heaped-up heart
and passing over all the foolish, weak things
that you can't help dimly seeing there,
and for drawing out into the light
all the beautiful belongings that no one else
had looked quite far enough to find.
I Love You
because you are helping me to
make of the lumber of my life not a tavern but
a temple;
out of the works of my every day not a reproach,
but a song . . . . .
Anonymous
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast.
It is not proud, it is not rude.
It is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered.
It keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with
the truth.
It always protects, always trusts.
Always hopes, always perseveres.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
You have become mine forever.
Yes, we have become partners.
I have become yours.
Hereafter, I cannot live without you.
Do not live without me.
Let us share the joys.
We are word and meaning, unite.
You are thought and I am sound.
May the nights be honey-sweet for us.
May the mornings be honey-sweet for us.
May the plants be honey-sweet for us.
May the earth be honey-sweet for us.
Excerpt
When two people are at one
in their inmost hearts,
they shatter even the strength of iron or bronze.
And when two people understand each other
in their inmost hearts,
their words are sweet and strong,
like the fragrance of orchids.
Author Unknown
I cannot promise you a life of sunshine;
I cannot promise riches, wealth, or gold;
I cannot promise you an easy pathway
That leads away from change or growing old.
But I can promise all my heart's devotion;
A smile to chase away your tears of sorrow;
A love that's ever true and ever growing;
A hand to hold in yours through each tomorrow.
Yes, I'll Marry You
Author Unknown
This day I married my best friend
...the one I laugh with as we share life's wondrous
zest,
as we find new enjoyments and experience all that's
best.
...the one I live for because the world seems brighter
as our happy times are better and our burdens feel
much lighter.
...the one I love with every fiber of my soul.
We used to feel vaguely incomplete, now together
we are whole.
Author Unknown
May the sun bring you new energy by day,
May the moon softly restore you by night,
May the rain wash away your worries
And the breeze blow new strength into your being,
And all the days of your life may you walk
Gently through the world and know its beauty.
7. Irish Wedding Blessing
May your hands be forever clasped in friendship
and your hearts joined forever in love.
Author Unknown
You are my husband (wife)
My feet shall run because of you
My feet shall dance because of you
My heart shall beat because of you
My eyes see because of you
My mind thinks because of you
And I shall love because of you.
~ By St. Francis of Assisi ~
Lord, make
us instruments of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let us sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, union;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, Grant that we may not so much
seek
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal
life.
Amen
God in heaven above please protect
the ones we love.
We honor all you created as we pledge our hearts
and lives together.
We honor mother-earth - and ask for our marriage
to be abundant
and grow stronger through the seasons;
We honor fire - and ask that our union be warm and
glowing with
love in our hearts; We honor wind - and ask we sail
though life
safe and calm as in our father's arms; We honor water
- to clean
and soothe our relationship - that it may never thirsts
for love;
With all the forces of the universe you created,
we pray for harmony
and true happiness as we forever grow young together."
"
Father in heaven,
You ordained marriage for your children,
and you gave us love.
We present to You _____ and _____,
who come this day to be married.
May the covenant of love they make be blessed
with true devotion and spiritual commitment.
We ask that You, God,
will give them the ability to keep the covenant they
have made.
When selfishness shows itself, grant generosity;
when mistrust is a temptation, give moral strength;
when there is misunderstanding, give patience and
gentleness;
if suffering becomes a part of their lives,
give them a strong faith and an abiding love.
Amen.
Richly bless...
Gracious God, richly bless (......) and (.......)
in the promises that they have made to each other.
Grant that the courtesies, the thoughtfulness,
and the self giving which already
have laid the foundation for their love,
build the home which is raised on it.
May they be loyal and engaging companions to each
other,.
and may they be loving and wise parents.
And in this world
where there is much disillusion and disappointment...
where love brings delight
and also wounding in the frailty of our ways...
make them a visible symbol of the love that does
not wane when
the evening comes but is fresh with each new day.
And as you bless this special couple this day,
bless each union represented here.
Forgive us where we have not been good news
and glad days for each other.
Perfect our imperfect love with the joy that comes
from above,
and may we grow ourselves and grow in affirmation
of the other.
May the Lord bless you and take care of you:
May the Lord be kind and gracious to you:
May the Lord look on you with favor and give you
peace.
Treat yourselves and each other
with respect
Treat yourselves and each other with respect,
and remind yourselves often of what brought you
together.
Give the highest priority to the tenderness,
gentleness and kindness that your connection
deserves.
When frustration, difficulties and fear assail
your relationship,
as they threaten all relationships at one time
or another,
remember to focus on what is right between you,
not only the part which seems wrong.
In this way, you can ride out the storms
when clouds hide the face of the sun in your
lives...
remembering that even if you lose sight of it
for a moment,
the sun is still there.
And if each of you takes responsibility for the
quality
of your life together,
it will be marked by abundance and delight.
For where two or three are gathered
together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them.
In joining your lives may God grant
you both...
Love... to afford each other a special quality
of time together.
Joy...in the accomplishments of one another.
Understanding...that your interests and desires
will not always be the same.
Friendship...based on mutual trust.
Courage...to speak of a misunderstanding
and to work on a solution
before the setting of the sun.
Compassion...to comfort each other in pain and
sorrow.
Foresight...to realize rainbows follow rainy
days.
Imagination...to keep with you part of the child
you used to be.
Mirth...from your sense of humor.
Awareness...to live each day with the knowledge
that there is no promise of tomorrow.
May God bless you and keep you
in the Palm of His hand.
As the Father hath loved me, so
have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye
keep my commandments,
and abide in his love; even as I have kept my Father's
commandments, and abide in his love. These things
have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain
in you, and that your joy might be full. This is
my commandment: That ye love one another as I have
loved you.
From the beginning of creation God
made them male and female. For this cause shall
a man leave his
father and mother, and cleave to his wife; and
they shall be one flesh: so then they are no more
twain,
but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together,
let not man put asunder.
May the road rise
to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon the fields.
May the light of friendship guide your paths together.
May the laughter of children grace the halls of
your home.
May the joy of living for one another trip a smile
from your lips, a twinkle from your eye.
And when eternity beckons,
at the end of a life heaped high with love,
May the good Lord embrace you
with the arms that have nurtured you
the whole length of your joy-filled days.
Not only for what you are, but for what I am
when I'm with you,
I Love You
For the part of me that you bring out,
I Love You
For putting your hand into my heaped-up heart
and passing over all the foolish, weak things
that you can't help dimly seeing there,
and for drawing out into the light
all the beautiful belongings that no one else
had looked quite far enough to find.
I Love You
because you are helping me to
make of the lumber of my life not a tavern but
a temple;
out of the works of my every day not a reproach,
but a song . . . . .
Anonymous
1. Only a mother can share love with all of her children, yet give each child undivided love.
2. The next best thing to having you as a mother
is knowing that my children will have you as a grandmother.
3. There is no friendship
Nor is there a potion
That is as strong as
A mother's love & devotion!
4. A mother holds a special part of all that is treasured
in the heart.
5. One thing moms and cats have in common. . . spit
baths!
6. All the words in the world can't say what a hug
from Mom can.
Angel's are often sent from the heavens
up above,
To guide us and protect us with unsuspecting love
Others are planted - here- on earth for us to see,
and
Walk us down life’s pathways -wherever they
may lead
They help us with decisions, we must make along the
way
And wake us with little kisses at the dawn of each
new day
There always right beside us to help us through the
night
Our very own guardian angel our little guiding light.
They make us smile with there laughter
They wash away our pain
So if you ever need to call on one ( mother ) is
her name
When you're a child she walks before
you,
To set an example.
When you're a teenager she walks behind you
To be there should you need her.
When you're an adult she walks beside you
So that as two friends you can enjoy life together..
- Author Unknown.
I wish I could tell
you, Mom
how much you mean to me....
But there are no words to say
how much I admire you...
how much I appreciate you...
how much I thank you
for everything you've done.
- Author Unknown.
The magic of a mother’s
love
Brings harmony and bliss.
It covers like a blanket
And cures boo-boos with a kiss.
It offers grand protection
From evil that lurks ‘round,
It tames the fears of little ones
And turns frowns upside down.
It holds a wealth of wisdom
With gentleness it guides,
It holds the hand when needed
Then lets go with tears of pride.
And though those precious childhood years
In an instant pass,
The love and magic mom instills
Will last…and last…and last.
...Author Unknown
Real Mothers don't eat quiche; they
don't have time to make it.
Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils are
probably in the sandbox.
Real Mothers often have sticky floors, filthy ovens
and happy kids.
Real Mothers know that dried play dough doesn't come
out of shag carpets.
Real Mothers don't want to know what the vacuum just
sucked up.
Real Mothers sometimes ask "why me?" and
get their answer when a little voice says, "because
I love you best".
Real Mothers know that a child's growth is not measured
by height or years or grade . . . it is marked by
the progression of Mama to Mommy to Mom.
Author Unknown
My Mother kept a garden,
a garden of the heart,
She planted all the good things
that gave my life it's start.
She turned me to the sunshine
and encouraged me to dream,
Fostering and nurturing
the seeds of self-esteem...
And when the winds and rain came,
she protected me enough--
But not too much because she knew
I'd need to stand up strong and tough.
Her constant good example
always taught me right from wrong--
Markers for my pathway
that will last a lifetime long.
I am my Mother's garden.
I am her legacy-
And I hope today she feels the love
reflected back from me
Author unknown
Dear Lord, it's such a hectic
day,
With little time to stop and pray,
For life's been anything but calm,
Since you called on me to be a mom.
Running errands, matching socks,
Building dreams with building blocks.
Cooking, cleaning, and finding shoes,
And other stuff that children lose.
Fitting lids on bottled bugs,
Wiping tears and giving hugs.
A stack of last week's mail to read,
So where's the quiet time I need?
Yet when I steal a minute Lord,
Just at the sink or ironing board,
To ask the blessings of your grace,
I see then in my small one's face,
That you have blessed me all the while,
As I stop to kiss that precious smile.
...Author Unknown
When you thought
I wasn't looking,
I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator,
and I wanted to paint another one.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you
feed a stray cat,
and I thought it was good to be kind to animals.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you
make my favorite cake for me,
and I knew that little things are special things.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I heard
you say a prayer,
and I believed there is a God I could always
talk to.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I felt you
kiss me goodnight,
and I felt loved.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears
come from your eyes,
and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but
it's all right to cry.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that
you cared
and I wanted to be everything that I could
be.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked...
and wanted to say thanks for all the things
I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.
...Author Unknown
Dear Lord, it's such a hectic
day,
With little time to stop and pray,
For life's been anything but calm,
Since you called on me to be a mom.
Running errands, matching socks,
Building dreams with building blocks.
Cooking, cleaning, and finding shoes,
And other stuff that children lose.
Fitting lids on bottled bugs,
Wiping tears and giving hugs.
A stack of last week's mail to read,
So where's the quiet time I need?
Yet when I steal a minute Lord,
Just at the sink or ironing board,
To ask the blessings of your grace,
I see then in my small one's face,
That you have blessed me all the while,
As I stop to kiss that precious smile.
...Author Unknown
Author Unknown
Mama's Bible, so ragged and worn,
Its pages are scribbled, ripped and torn.
Its been around for ages, she's had it for years,
Some pages smudged by rain and some by her tears
The name on the cover is faded, it's true.
There might be a page missing, or two.
To look at that book one might scoff and frown
They may say, "Why, there's no use in keeping
it around.
" A new Bible, I'm certain, is what you must need,
With pages so perfect, and pictures indeed."
But friends, I know better and I'm here to persuade'
There's more in that ol' book, more than I can say.
For she read it and held it so close to her heart,
Its Knowledge and Wisdom and Love to impart.
She held it so tightly, through storm and through
chill,
But ever much closer when her children were ill.
Her faith can be seen on each page and each line,
Her writings of love time after time.
She carried it high through thick and through thin,
So proud of the holy scriptures contained within.
Of all of the treasures in this world we can hold,
The Bible of mom so ragged and old.
Is far more precious than any other,
For it was given to her by her dear mother.
No memory is more precious, none that I hold so dear,
When the storms of my life bring me much fear
The vision of mother, the love on her face . . .
I remember when mama would sing "Amazing Grace"!
Saint Michael, heaven's glorious
commissioner of police,
who once so neatly and successfully cleared God's
premises
of all its undesirables, look with kindly and professional
eyes on your earthly force.
Give us cool heads, stout hearts, and uncanny flair
for
investigation and wise judgment.
Make us the terror of burglars, the friend of children
and
law-abiding citizens, kind to strangers, polite
to bores,
strict with law-breakers and impervious to temptations.
You know, Saint Michael, from your own experiences
with the devil that the police officer's lot on
earth is not
always a happy one; but your sense of duty that
so
pleased God, your hard knocks that so surprised
the
devil, and your angelic self-control give us inspiration.
And when we lay down our night sticks, enroll us
in your
heavenly force, where we will be as proud to guard
the
throne of God as we have been to guard the city
of all
the people.
Almighty God, protector of
all, your strength, power, and
wisdom are a beacon of light to all:
Give special guidance to firefighters so that
we may be
protected from harm while performing our duty.
Help me with your loving care while I work
to save the
lives and property of all people, young and
old.
Give me the courage, the alertness to protect
my
neighbors and all others whom I am pledged
to aid
when involved in fire or accident.
Amen
O my God, teach
me to receive the sick in Thy Name. Give to my
efforts success for the glory of Thy
Holy Name.
It is Thy work; without Thee, I cannot succeed.
Grant that the sick Thou hast placed in my care
may be abundantly blessed, and not one of them
be lost
because of any neglect on my part.
Help me to overcome every temporal weakness, and
strengthen in me whatever may enable me to bring
joy to the lives of those I serve.
Give me grace, for the sake of Thy sick ones and
of those lives that will be influenced by them.
Author Unknown
O my God, teach me to receive the sick in Thy Name. Give to my efforts success for the glory of Thy Holy Name. ...
Place Your Healing Touch In My Hands
Unknown Author
Help me as I care
for my patients today,
Be there with me,
O Lord, I pray
Make my words kind
--it means so much--
And in my hands place
Your healing touch
Let your love shine
through all that I do,
So those in need
may hear and feel You.
Unknown Author
I dedicate myself to thee,
0 Lord, my God, this work I undertake
Alone in thy great name, and for thy sake.
In ministering to suffering I would learn
The sympathy that in thy heart did burn.
Take, then, mine eyes, and teach them to perceive
The ablest way each sick one to relieve.
Guide thou my hands, that e'en their touch
may prove
The gentleness and aptness born of love.
Bless thou my feet, and while they softly
tread
May faces smile on many a sufferer's
bed.
Touch thou my lips, guide thou my tongue,
Give me a work in sermon for each one.
Clothe me with patience, strength all
tasks to bear,
Crown me with hope and love, which know
no fear,
And faith, that coming face to face with
death
Shall e'en inspire with joy the dying
breath.
All through the arduous day my actions
guide,
All through the lonely night watch by
my side,
So I shall wake refreshed, with strength
to pray,
Work in me, through me, with me, Lord,
this day.
http://www.nursesareangels.com/nursing_poems.htm
Original Author Unknown
I want to teach my students more than lessons
in a book;
I want to teach them deeper things that people
overlook-
The value of a rose in bloom, its use and beauty,
too
A sense of curiosity to discover what is true;
How to think and how to choose the right above
the wrong,
How to live and learn each day and grow up to be
strong;
To teach them always how to gain in wisdom and
in grace,
So they will someday make the world a brighter,
better place.
Lord, let me be a friend and guide to give these
minds a start
Upon their way down life’s long road, then
I’ll have done my part.
Original Author
Unknown
Little children come to me for hugs and books
and such,
I care for all their simple needs and I also
fix them lunch,
I pick up toys, mop us spills and often dry
their tears,
I change their diapers, settle fights, and
kiss away their tears
I tie their shoes, button coats and push them
on the swing,
I really love these kids, you see, but there
is just one thing,
Call me Mom, or Aunt or Donna those names might
fit,
But please don’t call me sitter, because I
never get to sit.
Our God has sent
you to this place
To lead us in the way
That He would have us work and think
And live from day to day.
No matter the hour; whatever the need,
You go the extra mile -
Always ready and willing to share
A comforting thought and a smile.
We're grateful that you're here with us
To teach us from His word,
And we will try to do our best
In service of our Lord.
We thank you for your ministry,
Your guidance and your care.
His greatest blessings for your life
Is our most humble prayer.
Author Unknown
This morning when I awakened; And
saw the Sun above. I softly said, Good morning
Lord; Bless everyone
I love.
Right away I thought of you; And said a loving Prayer.
That He would bless you specially; And keep you free
from Care. I thought of all the Happiness; A day
could hold in store. I wished it all for you, because;
No one
deserves it more. I felt so warm and good inside;
My heart was all aglow. I know God heard my prayers
for you; He hears
them all you know.
2. When I Must Leave You
When I must leave you for
a little while,
Please do not shed wild tears,
And hug your sorrow to you through the years.
But start out bravely with a gallant smile,
And, for my sake, and in my name,
Live on and do all things the same.
Feed not your loneliness on empty days,
But fill each waking hour in useful ways.
Reach out your hand in comfort and in cheer,
And I in turn will comfort you and hold you near.
And never, never be afraid to die,
For I am waiting for you in the sky.
- Helen Steiner Rice - (For your reading pleasure
only.)
Life is but a stopping
place,
A pause in what's to be,
A resting place along the road,
To sweet eternity.
We all have different journeys,
Different paths along the way,
We all were meant to learn some things,
But never meant to stay.
Our destination is a place,
Far greater than we know,
For some, the journey's quicker,
For some, the journey's slow.
And when the journey finally ends,
We'll claim a great reward,
And find an everlasting peace
Together with the Lord.
Anon
Dear Friend
Days without you are none
Your spirit fills the air
At nights I stay awake to listen to your voice
Faintly I hear you say that you are right above
Dreams seem all too real
I feel your hands and your breath
Laughter and fun we have had for so long
Then I am awoken by an alarm
Letters written back and forth
Memories made to stay a lifetime
Your lifetime made all too brief
But I made sure your life goes on
I miss you
See you soon
Love Me
We said a prayer for you today
and know God must’ve heard,
We felt the answer in our hearts
although He spoke no words.
We didn’t ask for wealth or fame,
We knew you wouldn’t mind.
We asked him to send treasures
of a far more lasting kind.
We asked that he be near you
at the start of each new day.
To grant you health & blessings
and friends to share your way.
We asked for happiness for you,
In all things great and small.
But it was for His loving care,
we asked the most of all! -author unknown
Anonymous
Do not stand at my grave and weep;
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am the thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glint on snow.
I am the sun on ripened grain.
I am the gentle Autumn rain.
When you awake in the morning hush,
I am the swift, uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft starlight at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.
Jamie Pace (For your
reading pleasure only.)
I feel I've lost a thousand years,
just living day by day.
I'm hidden behind the pain and tears,
my sorrow guides the way.
I cannot see where I have gone,
nor where my life shall go.
But leaving you my life-long friend,
is the only way I know.
It will be painful, I will be weak
but true friendship never dies.
So call upon the Greatest Power,
when you feel you can't survive.
He will heal you saddest hours,
and keep our memories alive.
For in the eternal love of God,
true friendship never dies.
Anonymous
I hope that I will always see
Among the trees the separate tree;
The tree whose branches do not spread
Symmetrically above my head;
The tree whose ordinary leaves
Are less than flames, or gems, or waves;
The tree that looks a bit run down
One that will, in time, fall down;
A living thing not unlike me
That, before death, has time to be.
By Unknown
Please don't sing sad songs for me,
Forget your grief and fears,
For I am in a perfect place,
Away from pain and tears.
I'm far away from hunger
And hurt and want and pride,
I have a place in Heaven
With the Master at my side
My life on earth was very good,
As earthly lives can go,
But Paradise is so much more
Than anyone can know.
My heart is filled with happiness
And sweet rejoicing, too.
To walk with God is perfect peace,
A joy forever new.
O Great Spirit,
Whose voice I hear in the winds,
And whose breath gives life to the world,
Hear me.
I come to you as one of your many children.
I am small and weak.
I need your strength and wisdom.
May I walk in beauty.
May my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset.
Make my hands respect the things you have made,
And my ears sharp to hear your voice.
Make me wise so that I may know
The things you have taught your children,
The lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock.
Make me strong so that I may not be superior to
my brothers,
But able to fight my greatest enemy, namely, myself.
Make me ever ready to come to you with straight
eyes,
So that when life fades as the fading sunset,
My Spirit may come to you without shame.
( A North American Indian's prayer to God )
God saw you getting tired,
and a cure was not to be,
so he put his arms around you
and whispered, "Come to me."
With tearful eyes we watched you,
and saw you pass away,
and although we loved you dearly,
we could not make you stay. A golden heart stopped
beating,
hard working hands at rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us,
he only takes the best.
--Author Unknown
12. Loving Memories
Your gentle face and patient smile
With sadness we recall
You had a kindly word for each
And died beloved by all.
The voice is mute and stilled the heart
That loved us well and true,
Ah, bitter was the trial to part
From one so good as you.
You are not forgotten loved one
Nor will you ever be
As long as life and memory last
We will remember thee.
We miss you now, our hearts are sore,
As time goes by we miss you more,
Your loving smile, your gentle face,
No one can fill your vacant place.
--Author Unknown
Do not stand at my grave and forever
weep.
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn's rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and forever cry.
I am not there. I did not die.
--Author Unknown
Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free.
I'm following the path God has laid, you see.
I took His hand when I heard His call.
I turned my back and left it all.
I could not stay another day,
To laugh, to love, to work or play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way,
I found the peace at the close of day.
If my parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembered joys.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss,
yes, these things I too will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow.
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life's been full,
I savored much,
Good friends, good times, a loved one's touch.
Don't lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your hearts, and peace to thee.
God wanted me now,
He set me free.
--Author Unknown
A million times I've missed you,
a million times I've cried.
If love alone could have saved you,
you never would have died.
To some you are forgotten,
to others just part of the past;
but to me who loved and lost you,
your love will always last.
It broke my heart to lose you,
you didn't go alone;
for my life went with you -sweetheart-
the day God called you home,
for things on earth didn't matter,
but now I feel so alone.
My heart will always be broken,
my life will never be whole,
until I see you again
on God's golden shore.
God's garden must be beautiful
for you are there to stay,
the rose of love within me
will bloom again someday.
We might be parted for a while,
our hearts will always be together
for one day soon,
we will hold hands again forever.
--Author Unknown
When trouble comes your soul to try,
You love the friend who just "stands by."
Perhaps there is nothing he can do--
The thing is strictly up to you;
For there are troubles all your own,
And paths the soul must tread alone;
Times when love cannot smooth the road
Nor friendship lift the heavy load,
But just to know you have a friend
Who will "stand by" until the end,
Whose sympathy through all endures,
Whose warm handclasp is always yours--
It helps, someway, to pull you through,
Although there's nothing he can do.
And so with fervent heart you cry,
"
God bless the friend who just "stands by'!"
by B. Y. Williams (For your reading pleasure only.)
When my son died in the early 90s, we wanted our
family and friends to understand how important their
presence had been throughout his illness. They felt
that they didn't have much to offer us, but we knew
better. And so I wrote this poem to let them know
how we felt. Hope that you'll find it useful.
An Angel kissed my tears away
today when I was sad
I wasn't feeling quite myself
my day had been so bad
I felt a warmth brush by me
that quickly dried my tears
A gentle, kind, and loving touch
that seemed to hold me near.
Immediately, I felt so much better
and the day seemed brighter too
I guess that's just the way you feel
when an Angel comforts you.
author unknown
God gave you your daughter
For such a little while;
He put a bit of heaven
In the sunshine of her smile.
He took dust from
The brightest twinkling stars
And made her sparkling eyes;
And now, she's gone back home to God,
To play up in the skies.
And though she left so quickly
That your hearts are grieved and sad,
We know she lives with God
And her small heart is glad.
And though your precious darling
Was just a rosebud small;
She'll bloom in all her beauty
On the other side of the wall.
--Helen Steiner Rice –(For your reading pleasure
only.)
Death beckoned him
with outstretched hand
And whispered softly
of 'an unknown land' . . .
But he was not
afraid to go
For though the path
he did not know,
He took death's hand
without a fear
For God who safely
brought him here
Had promised He
would lead the way
Into eternity's
bright day . . .
For none of us
need go alone
Into the valley
that's unknown
But guided by
our Father's hand
We journey to
the promised land . . .
And as his loving,
faithful wife
Who shared his home
and heart and life,
You will find comfort
for your grief,
In knowing death
brought sweet relief,
For now he is free
from all suffering and pain
And your 'great loss'
became his gain . . .
You know his love
is with you still,
For he loved you in life
and he always will . . .
For love like yours
can never end
Because it is
the perfect blend
Of joys and sorrows,
smiles and tears
That just grows stronger
with the years
And love like this
can never die,
For you 'take it with you
to the sky' . . .
So think of your loved one
as living above
No farther away
than your undying love . . .
And now he is happy and free
once more
And he waits for you
at eternity's door.
--Helen Steiner Rice- (For your reading pleasure
only.)
We feel so sad when those we
love
Are touched by deaths dark hand,
Bu it would ease our sorrow
If we could but understand
That death is just a gateway
That all men must pass through
And on the other side of death,
In a world that's bright and new,
Our loved ones wait to welcome us
To that land free from tears
Where joy becomes eternal
And time is not counted by years
--Helen Steiner Rice - (For your reading pleasure
only.)
When tomorrow
starts without me
And I'm not there to see;
If the sun should rise and find your eyes
All filled with tears for me.
I wish so much you wouldn't cry
The way you did today;
While thinking of the many things
We didn't get to say.
I know how much you love me ...
As much as I love you;
And each time that you think of me,
I know you'll miss me too.
But when tomorrow starts without me
Please try to understand,
That an angel came and called my name
And took me by the hand.
She said my place was ready
In heaven far above;
And that I'd have to leave behind,
All those I dearly love.
But as I turned to walk away,
A tear fell from my eye;
For all my life, I'd always thought
I didn't want to die.
I had so much to live for
So much yet to do;
It seemed almost impossible,
That I was leaving you.
I thought of all the yesterdays,
The good ones and the bad;
I thought of all the love we shared,
And all the fun we had.
If I could relive yesterday
Just even for awhile,
I'd say goodbye and kiss you
And maybe see you smile.
But then I fully realized
That this could never be;
For emptiness and memories
Would take the place of me.
And when I thought of worldly things
I might miss come tomorrow;
I thought of you, and when I did,
My heart was filled with sorrow.
But when I walked through heaven's gates
I felt so much at home;
When God looked down and smiled at me
From His great golden throne.
He said, "This is eternity
And all I've promised you;
Today your life on earth is past,
But here it all starts anew."
" I promise no tomorrow,
But today will always last;
And since each day's the same day,
There's no longing for the past."
" But you have been so faithful,
So trusting and so true;
Though at times you did do things,
You knew you shouldn't do."
" But you have been forgiven
And now at last you're free;
So won't you take my hand
And share my life with me?"
So when tomorrow starts without me,
Don't think we're far apart ...
For every time you think of me,
I'm right here ... in your heart.
--David M. Romano © 1993 - (For your reading
pleasure only.)
" I'll lend you for a little time
A child of mine," He said,
" For you to love the while he lives
And mourn for when he is dead.
" It may be six or seven years,
Or twenty-two or three;
But will you, 'til I call him back
Take care of him for me?
" He'll bring his charms to gladden you
And shall his stay be brief,
You'll have his lovely memories
As solace for your grief.
" I cannot promise he will stay,
Since all from earth return;
But there are lessons taught down there
I want this child to learn.
" I've looked the wide world over
In search for teachers true,
And from the throngs that crowd life's lanes
I have selected you.
" Now will you give him all your love
Nor think the labor vain;
Nor hate Me when I come to call
And take him back again?"
I fancied that I heard them say,
" Dear Lord, Thy Will be done!
For all the joy Thy child shall bring,
The risk of grief we'll run.
" We'll shelter him with tenderness,
We'll love him while we may,
And for the happiness we've known
Forever grateful stay.
" But shall the Angels call for him
Much sooner then we've planned,
We'll brave the bitter grief that comes
And try to understand."
--Edgar A. Guest - (For your reading pleasure only.)
There is a season for everything,
a time for every occupation under heaven.
A time for giving birth, A time for dying,
A time for planting, A time for uprooting what has
been planted.
A time for killing, A time for healing;
A time for knocking down, A time for building.
A time for tears, A time for laughter;
A time for mourning, A time for dancing.
A time for throwing stones away, A time for gathering
them up;
A time for embracing, A time to refrain from embracing.
A time for searching, A time for losing;
A time for keeping. A time for throwing away.
A time for tearing, A time for sewing;
A time for keeping silent, A time for speaking.
A time for loving, A time for hating;
A time for war, A time for peace.
I'll lend you for a little
time, A child of mine," He
said,
" For you to love him while he lives, And mourn
for when he's dead.
It may be six or seven years or twenty-two or three
But will you, till I call him back, Take care of
him for me?
He'll bring his charms to gladden you, And should
his stay be brief,
You'll have his lovely memories As solace as your
grief."
" I cannot promise he will stay, Since all from
earth return,
But there are lessons taught down there I want this
child to learn.
I've looked this wide world over In search of teachers
true,
And from the throngs that crowd life's lanes, I have
selected you.
Now will you give him all your love, Nor think the
labor vain,
Nor hate me when I come to call him back again?"
I fancy that I heard them say, "Dear Lord, Thy
will be done;
For all the joy Thy child shall bring, The risk of
grief we'll run
We'll shelter him with tenderness, We'll love him
while we may,
And for the happiness we've known, Forever grateful
stay.
But shall the angels call for him, Much sooner than
we've planned,
We'll brave the bitter grief that comes, And try
to understand."
...Author Unknown
Don't think of her as gone
away
Her journey's just begun
Life holds so many facets
This earth is only one
Just think of her as resting
From the sorrows and the tears
In a place of warmth and comfort
Where there are no days and years
Think how she must be wishing
That we could know, today
Now nothing but our sadness
Can really pass away
And think of her as living
In the hearts of those she touched
For nothing loved is ever lost
And she is loved so very much
Anonymous
A limb has fallen from the family tree, I keep hearing a voice that says, "Grieve not for me." Remember the best times, the laughter, the song, The good life I lived while I was strong. Continue traditions, no matter how small, Go on with your lives, don't just stare at the wall. I miss you all dearly, so keep up your chin, Until the day comes, and we're all Together Again.
Fly, fly little wing Fly beyond imagining The softest cloud, the whitest dove Upon the wind of Heaven's love Past the planets and the stars Leave this lonely world of ours Escape the sorrow and the pain And fly again. Fly, fly precious one Your endless journey has begun Take your gentle happiness Far too beautiful for this Cross over to the other shore There is peace forevermore But hold this memory bittersweet Until we meet Fly, fly do not fear Don't waste a breath, don't shed a tear Your heart is pure, your soul is free Be on your way, don't wait for me Above the universe you'll climb On beyond the hands of time The moon will rise, the sun will set But I won't forget Fly, fly little wing Fly where only angels sing Fly away, the time is right Go now, find the light
The day will come when my body will lie upon a white sheet neatly tucked under four corners of a mattress located in a hospital busily occupied with living and the dying. At a certain moment a doctor will determine that my brain has ceased to function and that, for all intents and purposes, my life has stopped. When that happens, do not attempt to instill artificial life into my body by the use of a machine. And don't call this my deathbed. Let it be called the Bed of Life, and let my body be taken from it to help others lead fuller lives. Give my sight to the man who has never seen a sunrise, a baby's face or love in the eyes of a woman. Give my heart to a person whose own heart has caused nothing but endless days of pain. Give my blood to the teenager who was pulled from the wreckage of his car, so that he might live to see his grandchildren play. Give my kidneys to one who depends on a machine to exist from week to week. Take my bones, every muscle, every fiber and nerve in my body and find a way to make a crippled child walk. Explore every corner of my brain. Take my cells, if necessary, and let them grow so that, someday, a speechless boy will shout at the crack of a bat and a deaf girl will hear the sound of rain against her window. Burn what is left of me and scatter the ashes to the winds to help the flowers grow. If you must bury something, let it be my faults, my weaknesses and all prejudice against my fellow man. Give my sins to the devil. Give my soul to God. If, by chance, you wish to remember me, do it with a kind deed or word to someone who needs you. If you do all I have asked, I will live forever. by Robert Test - (For your reading pleasure only.)
Let not your hearts be troubled;
believe in God,
believe also in me.
In my father's house are many rooms;
if it were not so, would I have told you
that I go to prepare a place for you?
And when I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come again
and I will take you to myself,
that where I am you may be also.
God grant me the Serenity
to accept the things
I cannot change,
Courage to change
the things I can,
And Wisdom to know
the difference.
Lord, make me
an instrument of your peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled
as to console; To be understood as
to understand; To be loved, as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning
that
we are pardoned; And it is in dying that
we are born to eternal life.
Thou shalt regard
the word "Cancer" as
exactly that: a word. Nothing more, nothing less.
For it's original meaning has changed mightily over
the years, as have such words as Smallpox, TB, and
Polio, all once dreaded ailments, now non-existent
as maladies. And thus, too, shalt go thy Cancer.
The answer shall come to those who shall be present
to hear it. Be present to hear it when it comes.
Thou shalt love thy chemotherapy, thy radiation,
and thy other treatments even as thyself, for they
are thy friends and champions. Although they may
exact a toll for their endeavors, they are oft most
generous in the favors they bestow.
Thou shalt participate fully in thy recovery. Thou
shalt learn all the details of thy ailment, it's
diagnosis, it's prognosis, it's treatments, conventional
and alternative. Thou shalt discuss them openly and
candidly with thy oncologist and shalt question all
that thou do not comprehend. Then, thou shalt cooperate
intelligently and knowledgeably with thy doctor.
Thou shalt regard thy ailment as a temporary detour
in thy life and shalt plan thy future as though this
detour had not occurred. Thou shalt never, at no
time, no how, regard thy temporary ailment as permanent.
Thou shalt set long-term goals for thyself. For thou
will verily recover and your believing so will contribute
mightily to thy recovery.
Thou shalt express thy feelings candidly and openly
to thy loved ones for they, too, are stricken. Thou
shalt comfort and reassure them for they, too, needest
comforting and reassurance, even as thou doest.
Thou shalt be a comfort to thy fellow-cancerites,
providing knowledge, encouragement, understanding
and love. You shalt give them hope where there may
be none, for only in hope lies their salvation. And
by doing so, thou providest comfort for thyself,
as well.
Thou shalt never relinquish hope, no matter how thou
mayest feelest at that moment, for thou knowest,
in the deep recesses of thy heart, that your discouragement
is but fleeting and that a better day awaits thee,
perhaps tomorrow, perhaps the day after tomorrow.
Thou shalt not regard thy ailment as the sum total
of thy life but as merely a part of it. Fill your
life with other diversions, be they mundane, daring,
altruistic, or merely amusing. To fill your life
with your ailment is to surrender to it.
Thou shalt maintain, at all times and in all circumstances,
thy sense of humor, for laughter lightens thy heart
and hastens thy recovery. This is not an easy task,
sometimes seemingly impossible, but it is a goal
well worth the endeavor.
Thou shalt have enduring and unassailable faith,
whether thy faith be in a Supreme Being, in Medical
Science, in Thy Future, in Thyself, or in Whatever.
Steadfastly sustain thy faith for it shall sustain
thee. Paul H Klein
(Anonymous author
- Possibly
written by a six year old girl with terminal cancer
in a New York Hospital)
Have you ever watched kids
On a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
Do you run through each day
On the fly?
When you ask "How are you?"
Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?
You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
Ever told your child,
We'll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
To call and say "Hi"?
You'd better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift....
Thrown away.
Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.
Death is nothing at all.
I have only slipped away into the next room.
I am I, and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other, that we still are.
Call me by my old familiar name,
speak to me in the easy way which you always used.
Put no difference in your tone,
wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we
enjoyed together.
Pray, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word that it always
was,
let it be spoken without effect,
without the trace of a shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was;
there is unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you,
for an interval,
somewhere very near,
just round the corner.
All is well.
Henry Scott Holland 1847-191
Canon of St. Paul's Cathedral
(Author Unknown)
For the hay and the corn and the wheat that is reaped,
For the labor well done, and the barns that are heaped,
For the sun and the dew and the sweet honeycomb,
For the rose and the song and the harvest brought
home --
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!
For the trade and the skill and the wealth in our
land,
For the cunning and strength of the workingman's
hand,
For the good that our artists and poets have taught,
For the friendship that hope and affection have brought
--
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!
For the homes that with purest affection are blest,
For the season of plenty and well-deserved rest,
For our country extending from sea unto sea;
The land that is known as the "Land of the Free" --
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!
Let us be grateful
for the capacity to see, feel, hear, and understand.
Let us be grateful for this incredible gift of
life.
Let us be especially grateful
for the ties of love which bind us together,
giving dignity, meaning, worth and joy to all
our days.
This is indeed a day which the Lord has made.
Let us rejoice in it and be glad,
and let us count our many blessings.