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Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meaness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whomever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

Jalal ad-Din Rumi

'I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.'
King James Bible
Ecclesiastes 3:14

I laid my father to rest yesterday - and my teenage daughter chose this verse to end her comments to her beloved grandfather.

A short cut to riches
is to subtract from our desires.
~Francesco Petrarch

As nightfall does not come at once,
neither does oppression.
In both instances,
there's a twilight where everything remains
seemingly unchanged, and it is in such twilight that we
must be aware of change in the air,
however slight,
lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness.
~Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas

It is not happiness that makes us grateful
but gratefulness that makes us happy.
~Brother David Steindl-Rast

As nightfall does not come at once,
neither does oppression.
In both instances, there's a twilight
where everything remains seemingly unchanged,
and it is in such twilight that we
must be aware of change in the air,
however slight,
lest we become unwitting victims
of the darkness.
~Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole, which she carried across her neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.
But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream.

"I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house."

The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?"

"That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful
flowers to decorate the table. Without your being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty
to grace the house."

Each of us has our own unique flaw.
But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.

You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

Reverse cannot befall
that fine prosperity
whose sources are interior.
~Emily Dickinson

Arthur C. Clarke once said, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

I have thought many times of closing this group down. Eons has not turned out to be the place I had hoped it would be when I joined near the beginning - long ago. However, every time I do check in - and see the slow but continued growth of E-Spirations,and the continuing sharing of wisdom and inspiration - I change my mind and continue. So thanks to each and every one of you. I may not post as often now - but it's always heartfelt. Best to each of you, Sila

'Evolution is a promise kept.'
~Robyn Lee