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| Luella Sweany's Baby Blessing |
"Desiderata"
By Max Ehrmann
Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there
may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms
with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to
others, even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid
loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you
compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always
there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your
achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career,
however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of
time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full
of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many
persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical
about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as
perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully
surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield
you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark
imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a
wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the
universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be
here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is
unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you
conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the
noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham,
drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.
Jason performed the blessing for Luella after Andy welcomed all of us and read "Desiderata." Luella enjoyed the spoken portion of the blessing, but wasn't too keen on the water portion (pretty common, I believe! I'm glad we used a rose for Maddy's blessing!) ; )
Christy and Andy asked everyone to give some words of wisdom or a blessing to Luella. Steve, Madeline and I gave Luella these passages to help guide her way.
When
I came to birth I found the universe awaiting me. Here it was with all its splendid and its
awe-inspiring aspects. Its beauty and
its bounty, ready to give the new-born babe whatever s/he might be able to
acquire with such measure of courage, strength, and wisdom as s/he could
attain.
I had done nothing to prepare it for
my advent and, when I emerged into conscious life from the unfathomed depths of
mystery, I was under the necessity of taking it as I found it and of adjusting
myself as rapidly as I was able to the terms which it imposed for my
well-being.
The persons who took any notice of
the arrival of another puny babe were few, but in my parents’ house there was
rejoicing and, for their sakes, kinsfolk and friends showed an affectionate
interest in the little child. From the
moment of my earliest cry I was surrounded with love which ministered to my
needs, and with high ideals of life and faith to guide my growth in minds and
spirit.
These were my guardian angels.
From The Religion of an Inquiring Mind, Henry
Wilder Foote
Deep
peace of the running wave to you.
Deep
peace of the flowing air to you.
Deep
peace of the quiet earth to you.
Deep
peace of the shining stars to you.
Deep
peace of the infinite peace to you.
Adapted from
Gaelic runes
We all spent the rest of the weekend enjoying the company of good friends and the peacefulness of the river. We are very lucky to live near such beauty.
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| Steve and Madeline down at the river |
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| Riley and Wilson |
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| Maddy and Olivia |
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| Learning about fish, then letting it go |
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| Friends! Megan sang songs to the kids |
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| Kieran modeling Auntie Daynia's sunglasses |
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| Madeline and Kieran at dinner |
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| Keepin' it real (thanks Christy!) |
Before heading home on Sunday, Steve, Maddy and I went on a short hike on the Cape Falcon trail down to the ocean. Maddy had an absolute blast running on the beach, flopping down and digging in the sand. She definitely loves the ocean!
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