Life’s Journey – Page 34 – Inspiration for the Mind, Body & Soul

As You Go Through Life

by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Don’t look for the flaws as you go through life;
And even when you find them,
It is wise and kind to be somewhat blind
And look for the virtue behind them.
For the cloudiest night has a hint of light
Somewhere in its shadows hiding;
It is better by far to hunt for a star,
Than the spots on the sun abiding.

The current of life runs ever away
To the bosom of God’s great ocean.
Don’t set your force ‘gainst the river’s course
And think to alter its motion.
Don’t waste a curse on the universe –
Remember it lived before you.
Don’t butt at the storm with your puny form,
But bend and let it go o’er you.

The world will never adjust itself
To suit your whims to the letter.
Some things must go wrong your whole life long,
And the sooner you know it the better.
It is folly to fight with the Infinite,
And go under at last in the wrestle;
The wiser man shapes into God’s plan
As water shapes into a vessel.

Life is an experience meant to be had – don’t fight it. Don’t waste time dissecting every aspect of it and end up overanalyzing life’s journey. Don’t be overly critical, for you will undoubtedly make mistakes – so, learn from them and move forward along the path you have chosen. And at the end of the day, try to relax and enjoy the ride.

I Can

Equipment

by Edgar Albert Guest

Figure it out for yourself, my lad,
You’ve all that the greatest of men have had,
Two arms, two hands, two legs, two eyes,
And a brain to use if you would be wise.
With this equipment they all began,
So start for the top and say ‘I can.’

Look them over, the wise and great,
They take their food from a common plate
And similar knives and forks they use,
With similar laces they tie their shoes,
The world considers them brave and smart.
But you’ve all they had when they made their start.

You can triumph and come to skill,
You can be great if only you will,
You’re well equipped for what fight you choose,
You have legs and arms and a brain to use,
And the man who has risen, great deeds to do
Began his life with no more than you.

You are the handicap you must face,
You are the one who must choose your place,
You must say where you want to go.
How much you will study the truth to know,
God has equipped you for life, But He
Lets you decide what you want to be.

Courage must come from the soul within,
The man must furnish the will to win,
So figure it out for yourself, my lad,
You were born with all that the great have had,
With your equipment they all began.
Get hold of yourself, and say: ‘I can.’

In this life, anything is possible. The only person who can limit you is you. If you dream it, you can achieve it. So, you should always approach life with an “I can” attitude. And never hold back – go after your goals with hard work and determination . . .for you will only regret the chances you were too scared to take.

Wonder

by Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi

Wonder,
A garden among the flames!
My heart can take on any form:
A meadow for gazelles,
A cloister for monks,
For the idols, sacred ground,
Ka’ba for the circling pilgrim,
The tables of the Torah,
The scrolls of the Quran.
My creed is Love;
Wherever its caravan turns along the way,
That is my belief,
My faith.

As we begin another week, remember it is a time of new beginnings – a time to start anew and lay down the burdens of yesterday. When you first open your eyes, allow wonder and love to fill your soul. In your moment of solitude, allow yourself to really see and feel the beauty that surrounds you.

A True Friend

Poem by LeKeisha Suggs

A true friend shares in your most joyous moments
And encourages you when things get tough
While guarding your back against your opponents
And refuses to walk away when times get rough

A true friend shares in laughter for hours on end
And lends a shoulder to cry on when things fall apart
Who will tell you that your outfit is nowhere on trend
And who may be far in distance but never far in heart

A true friend warms your soul with just their presence
And stands by your side – no questions asked
Who says, “I can’t wait to share this,” in your absence
And is there to lift you up when you’re feeling downcast

A true friend accepts you for who you are
And loves you in spite of your flaws
Who’s very presence shines brighter than any star
And who supports you without a moment’s pause

A true friend should never be taken for granted
And is one to cherish and to fight for
Who makes your life feel enchanted
For in this life, a true friend is a rare gift to score

To find a true friend is a rare gift, indeed. It isn’t a matter of how long you have known someone or how near or far they are. What matters is the value and enrichment the person brings to your life and your heart. Does that person lift you up? Are you happier when you leave their presence? If yes, then treasure that friendship and put in the work to not let it die or fade away.

I dedicate this poem to my closest friends – you are the family I have chosen. Thank you for inspiring me every day!!

Have Faith

Joy And Peace In Believing

Poem by William Cowper

Sometimes a light surprises
The Christian while he sings;
It is the Lord who rises
With healing on His wings;
When comforts are declining,
He grants the soul again
A season of clear shining,
To cheer it after rain.

In holy contemplation
We sweetly then pursue
The theme of God’s salvation,
And find it ever new;
Set free from present sorrow,
We cheerfully can say,
E’en let the unknown to-morrow
Bring with it what it may!

It can bring with it nothing,
But He will bear us through;
Who gives the lilies clothing,
Will clothe His people too;
Beneath the spreading heavens
No creature but is fed;
And He who feeds the ravens
Will give His children bread.

Though vine nor fig tree neither
Their wonted fruit shall bear,
Though all the field should wither,
Nor flocks nor herds be there:
Yet God the same abiding,
His praise shall tune my voice;
For, while in Him confiding,
I cannot but rejoice.

Let go and let God is one of my favorite turn of phrases to use. No matter what you may face in this life, no matter how painful or how difficult – God will see you through. So, have faith that no matter what tomorrow brings, you can handle it so long as you let go and let God.

A Beautiful Life

Poem by LeKeisha Suggs

What a beautiful life each of us are given
Yet so many of us fail to love it enough
We blindly rush through life – then ask to be forgiven
We make excuses that life is just too tough

And we don’t allow ourselves to see the beauty all around
It’s such a shame, as time waits for no one
So, each day take a moment to embrace nature’s sweet sounds
For there is no guarantee that tomorrow will bring the Sun

As we begin a new week, remember it is a time of new beginnings. Don’t take any moments for granted and try to take time to smell the roses! Enjoy and have a blessed week!!

Each Day a Life

Each Day A Life

by Robert William Service

I count each day a little life,
With birth and death complete;
I cloister it from care and strife
And keep it sane and sweet.

With eager eyes I greet the morn,
Exultant as a boy,
Knowing that I am newly born
To wonder and to joy.

And when the sunset splendours wane
And ripe for rest am I,
Knowing that I will live again,
Exultantly I die.

O that all Life were but a Day
Sunny and sweet and sane!
And that at Even I might say:
“I sleep to wake again.”

As another week comes to a close, I wanted to emphasize that you should strive to always live each day to the fullest. I love the concept of treating each day as if it were a new life. If you treat each day as a new life, you allow yourself to experience the wondrous joy and excitement that each morning brings. Never forget that life is truly all about the perspective you choose to view it from.

The Steps We Take

Poem by LeKeisha Suggs

In life, things rarely go as planned
And it seems like one disappointment after another
You soon realize that maybe reality isn’t so grand
But you must accept, life is a unique journey like no other

And with this comes many ups and downs
So, stop overthinking every step you take
And focus on enjoying the sights and sounds
For you will learn, the privilege of life is worth every ache

Here is a poem I wrote after a tough couple of days. I hope each of you are able to connect with my words and my message. I invite you to comment and share your thoughts!

Don’t Sweat the Small Things

Once a hunter met a lion near the hungry critter’s lair,
and the way that lion mauled him was decidedly unfair;
but the hunter never whimpered when the surgeons,
with their thread,
sewed up forty-seven gashes in his mutilated head;
and he showed the scars in triumph,
and they gave him pleasant fame,
and he always blessed the lion that had camped upon his frame.
Once that hunter, absent minded, sat upon a hill of ants,
and about a million bit him, and you should have seen him dance!
And he used up lots of language of a deep magenta tint,
and apostrophized the insects in a style unfit to print.
And it’s thus with worldly troubles;
when the big ones come along, we serenely go to meet them, feeling valiant, bold and strong, but the weary little worries with their poisoned stings and smarts, put the lid upon our courage, make us gray, and break our hearts.

― Walt Mason

Don’t sweat the small stuff. It is so easy to let the little things that happen in life get you down and make you unhappy. It is unbelievable the amount of stress we find ourselves under at all ages. At some point, you need to make the choice to prioritize what is truly worth worrying about and learn to let go of the rest. Choose to cut the tethers of the weights holding you back and free your soul.

Infinite Hope

We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.

~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

On the surface, this quote may seem deceptively simple. However, when you really take a moment to think about each word, the true power of Dr. King’s statement resonates with your very being. In this life, each of us will face unimaginable disappointments and setbacks. But, you cannot allow for these obstacles to destroy your hope that things can and will get better. In these times of great difficulty, you must rely more than ever on your faith in humanity, in people, in this world and in God that no matter how long the night, the dawn will break.