Deep breath, a sigh, the fresh morning is here
Sunshine has parted the sad dark of night
Early and empty, there’s nothing to fear
Dewdrops on roses, everything so bright
Fortunate nature, golden shining rays
Accompanied by singing brook and bird
All of nature giving God their glad praise
I stop to listen, I seem to have heard
Life and love, two words ringing together
Life is the setting, love is the meaning
Hearts full of love, as light as a feather
I walk alone, just thinking and dreaming
About our freedoms that give our souls lift,
Oh, just to be here, is life’s greatest gift

It’s your body you say
           And you’re beautiful the way you are
And don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not
And I’m terrified of the day
                         When you’re the one who thinks I’m not

Be grateful. Be grateful
We say in situations of valor and tragedy
At dinner tables and kneeling rails
At hospital bedsides and parent teacher conferences
It could be worse
Or it might be great
Be grateful they all say
For the sun keeping us here
Here long enough to witness life
And death and violence with injustice and not fair
But grateful for the stars and for nights and winter seasons drenched in rain and icicles
When everything is frozen dangerously
Be grateful when things don’t work out—it could always be worse
At least it’s not raining, hailing, fire storming, apocalypse
They all say to be grateful for your friends
The ones you love, but also the pains and heartaches they cause
And the same for family, which causes so much hell in an already swirling environment
Be grateful for this protection by arms
But what about the cause?
Results not causes are what count in this time
And we never think of why, but only the surface
Be grateful for all you have
All? Including heartache and grief with stress and sin and chores topped with lies
Grateful
Is it knowing I am human?
I get to the point I’m saying thank you and don’t know why
But It could always be worse.