Some years ago while living literal oceans apart, a friend wrote to me, sharing words that were as meaningful as they were tender, as expressive and stirring as they were thoughtful.
He wrote,
“May Heavenly Father smile down upon you,
bless you, keep you, guide your…feet forever.
May you always, always, always find sweet fulfillment
in service and kindness. As you lose yourself in others,
may you never fear to find yourself.
May you partake of life fully and enjoy every scrap of it!
May you have the strength of steadfastness,
the courage to change, the inspiration to know
the correct moment for each. May you love and be loved,
heal and be healed, bless and be blessed.
May you keep drinking from sprinklers and eating pears from the top…”
Though I have lost contact with that friend, I had occasion recently to re-read his words, and they moved me again. Every line.
In like manner, I wish to do for you what my friend did for me – using his words as my guide – because he said it best.
Looking ahead to 2024, these are my word wishes for you:
God’s affirmative smile,
His guiding hand to steady your gait,
Hourly opportunities to convey kindness,
Service during every life season,
Fulfillment and heart satisfaction flying heavenward with each holy offering,
Valor to embrace the vulnerability of self-awareness and change,
Unrelenting love of living,
Comfort in uncomfortableness,
Unassuming wisdom to discern the moment’s need,
A heart to receive purposeful love,
The ability to bequeath such love,
Healing words,
A healed heart,
Beautiful – too beautiful to articulate – blessings from the Most Altruistic One,
The know how of blessing strangers and friends,
And
The silly things you do that make you as wonderful as you are.
Unto all the world: May these word wishes find you, wherever in the splendid world you be!