The Rose — by Daniel Miller

And upon a day, while walking among

the flowers of his teacher’s garden,

did the child speak unto the Mystic:

“Some men claim that this life

is the darkness of a curse,
and a punishment to be endured

for all our wicked ways.

Oh Mystic, what say you of life ?”

And the Mystic answered:

“I say that life is neither a curse nor a punishment,

But a rose filled with the beauty of desire.

The stem of the rose is your life upon this earth,
The thorns, painful lessons you bring unto
yourself, that you might learn.
The leaves are those joys that enter
your life with the tenderness of an unseen Love.

Curse not the sorrow of your thorns,
for the deeper they cut unto the heart of
your being, the greener the leaves of joy shall be.

The tiny bud is your soul, waiting to
bloom with the truth of God among its petals.
Slowly will your flower unfold,
that you might not become lost
within the fragrance of its secret.

And when the rose is at the height of its beauty,
Shall you not see the pureness of God
smiling from the very center of your Being ?”

Risking — by Patty Hansen

Two seeds lay side by side in the fertile soil.

The first seed said, “I want to grow! I want to send my roots deep into the soil beneath me, and thrust my sprouts through the earth’s crust above me … I want to unfurl my tender buds like banners to announce the arrival of spring … I want to feel the warmth of the sun on my face and the blessing of the morning dew on my petals!”

And so she grew…

The second seed said, “I am afraid. If I send my roots into the ground below, I don’t know what I will encounter in the dark. If I push my way through the hard soil above me I may damage my delicate sprouts … what if I let my buds open and a snail tries to eat them? And if I were to open my blossoms, a small child may pull me from the ground. No, it is much better for me to wait until it is safe.”

And so she waited…

A yard hen scratching around in the early spring ground for food found the waiting seed and promptly ate it.

Moral of the story … Those of us who refuse to risk and grow get swallowed up by life.

Rich or Poor – How Rich Are You — Author Unknown

One day a rich father took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose to show him how poor people
can be. They spent a day and a night on the farm of a very poor family.

When they got back from their trip the father asked his son, “How was the trip?”

“Very good Dad!”

“Did you see how poor people can be?” the father asked.

“Yeah!”

“And what did you learn?”

The son answered, “I saw that we have a dog at home, and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden, they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lamps in the garden, they have the stars. Our patio reaches to the front yard, they have a whole horizon.”

When the little boy was finishing, his father was speechless.

His son added, “Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are!”

Footprints In The Sand — by Mary Stevenson

One night I had a dream.

I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord..

Across the sky flashed scenes from my life..
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to me, and the other to the Lord..

When the last scene of my life flashed before me, I looked back at the footprints in the sand. I noticed that many times along the path of my life there was only one set of footprints. I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in my life.

This really bothered me and I questioned the Lord about it:
“Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you’d walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why when I need you most you would leave me.”

The Lord replied:
“My precious child, I love you and would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”

Note about authorship:
There is dispute over the original author and copyright of this poem. Please visit Wowzone for more details.

The Power Of One — Author Unknown

One song can spark a moment,
One flower can wake the dream.
One tree can start a forest,
One bird can herald spring.

One smile begins a friendship,
One handclasp lifts a soul.
One star can guide a ship at sea,
One word can frame the goal.

One vote can change a nation,
One sunbeam lights a room.
One candle wipes out darkness,
One laugh will conquer gloom.

One step must start each journey,
One word must start each prayer.
One hope will raise our spirits,
One touch can show you care.

One voice can speak with wisdom,
One heart can know what’s true.
One life can make the difference,
You see, IT’S UP TO YOU!