For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth, and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.
---For the Beauty of the Earth
I marvel at the PEOPLE and give thanks - the fellow passengers of planet earth and the joy of human love they bring! We are connected - as brothers, sisters, cousins, family - we are truly connected by common ancestors, common challenges and common needs. And while connected we are so different as well. In the current culture that emphasizes the divisiveness of people, I wish this season to contemplate the beauty, complexity and diversity of people as a stunning blessing.
I think of my corner of the world with its people I love dearly, those that I raised and those that raised me. I adore my family, my husband and each of my children. We bump against each other sometimes in challenging ways and often in joyful ways. I appreciate their perspectives, talents and capacity to love. I love them for their tenacity, grace and willingness to overlook weaknesses and lend their hearts and hands. Parents, brothers, sisters, husband, children, aunts, uncles, cousins, each so like me and yet so different. I hope my life reflects back the goodness I see in them.
For similar reasons I cherish my friends, neighborhood, community, nation and world. In my community there are kindred spirits who give freely and love abundantly. I value both our similarities and our differences. I'm grateful for the joy and love of children, and the vibrance of youth; they speak from their heart and seek to make the world a better place. The fire of their spirits and the light in their eyes encourages me to be a better person. My neighbors, teach me what it means to be kind and to listen.
Many people came before me, and did hard things that have made my life easier. Many people who will come after me, those who aren't born yet, and I honor them. I love those who became musicians and artists who comfort and inspire. I'm grateful for the poets and writers who have written the words and authored the books bringing insight and understanding - for builders, farmers and every contribution to humanity. The amazon truck driver, the kind grocer and the man who fixed my frig this summer. How marvelous to be surrounded by people of all ages, all walks, all races, all hearts.
I'm grateful for the people I've met in Chile, Italy and Jerusalem. I'm grateful for the people I met from Africa and South America at the United Nations, both in New York and Salt Lake. I love learning about other cultures and nations. The more we learn, the more we are able to understand and love.
I'm grateful for PEOPLE - fellow passengers on planet earth - those I know, those I read about in books, articles and news events, and those I have yet to meet. I believe their unique perspectives, talents, and examples of kindness are part of the joy of human love. I believe If we knew each other's stories we would laugh and cry together. I believe greater understanding would result as we appreciate and listen to each other. I believe in the majesty, diversity and joy that comes from people past, present and future.
