My Gift

Our only purpose, as we live,
   Is something of ourselves to give
To others, as they pass nearby--
   But what give I?

The painter paints for all to see,
   The singer gives a melody,
The rich upon cash gifts rely--
   But what give I?

I have no talents, large or small,
   Nor have I wealth, it seems that all
I have is love that cannot die--
   And this give I.

A picture's cold when paints are dry,
   And songs and poems are heard, then
      die.
There is no peace that wealth can buy--
   Still, what give I?

The art and riches fade away,
   All tangible belongings stray;
I learn that but one gift will live--
   The love I give!

--Dorothy Lee

The Garden

I know a garden near a city street,
   Where I can find the quiet and repose
My spirit seeks, within that walled retreat
   The peaceful flower of meditation grows.
I hear of One who taught in Galilee
   Long years ago, and gave His life for all.

I seek His likeness kneeling by a tree;
   My heart can hear His living presence call
To nobler deed, to purer thought and will,
   To love and service toward my fellow-
      men;
God seems so near me in these moments,
      still
   And sacred, that I walk the streets again

Renewed, and all the cares I brought before
Grow lighter as I leave the garden door.

--Esther York Burkholder

Life's Rainy Days

     There is a disposition on the part of
many people to think only of the rainy
days in life, and miss all the bright and
sunshiny days.

     That there are rainy days in life--
days of trouble and disappointment--
no sane man should deny. The person
who never has any trouble never has
any real joy. But it is possible for one
to become so obsessed with fear of
rainy days that he loses all ability to
judge the weather.

     It is a terrible thing to live all of one's
life in dread of rainy days. It is so easy
to make a storm out of a shower, and a
disaster out of a mere disappointment.

     The rainy day people develop a ter-
rible habit of borrowing trouble. Long
before tomorrow has arrived they invade
it with fears, take its terrors captive, and
bring them back into today, and then sit
trembling before them.

     Very few people have ever broken
under the burden that today imposes.

     The best preparation for tomorrow is
a calm and poised mind today. Even if to-
morrow does hold the promise of being
a day packed with trouble, the best way
to meet it is with memory of today's work
well done, in a peaceful state of mind.

--Unknown

God Gave Us Imagination

     "I have been on the same job for  three
years, and feel that my employer has lost
sight of me. What shall I do?"

     The business counselor to whom this
question was directed replied with another
question. "What suggestion can you make
to your employer that will increase his sales,
improve his product, reduce his costs, or
do your job better in any way?"

     The young man who was looking for
advice admitted that he had no ideas on
any of these things. The expert then said,
"With the opportunities you have had, you
had better not let your employer know that
you have been working for him so long
without having a single idea for improving
your work."
    
     That young man is an example of
thousands who have never developed
their imagination. They may know their
job and do it fairly well, but never once
have they stopped to ask themselves,
"How can I improve my work?"

     Knowledge is a good thing, industry
and experience are always necessary, but
imagination is a miracle worker.

--Carl Holmes

So Little Time

What's in a life, so full of care?
So little time to dream and share!

Not time to catch in children's eyes
The rapture of complete surprise.
No time to feel in sea gulls' wings
The grace of simple, lovely things.

No time to listen, more and more,
To water lapping on the shore.
No time to welcome birds at dawn,
Or dripping dewdrops on the lawn.

No time for high and precious hours,
With scent like fragrant garden flowers.
No time for thoughts that star the night,
Or newborn dreams that seek the light.

Empty, indeed, the life so bare,
Were there no time to dream and share!

--Florence Piper Tuttle

This Is Life

I saw the glory of the sunrise,
Breathed the invigorating air,
And my soul rose to the very skies
When I sallied forth, proud to dare.
   That was the morning.

The awful heat of the day came down;
I stooped, and my brow was wet with sweat.
And when I saw Misfortune frown
I cried, "I am not conquered yet!"
   That was the noonday.

The softer shades of twilight fell
And released my grip in the strife.
I am contented now to dwell
Where understanding sweetens life.
   This is eventide.

--Ken Smith

When I Sail Away

Sometime at eve when the tide is low,
  I shall slip my mooring and sail away,
With no response to the friendly hail
  Of kindred craft in the busy bay;
In the silent hush of the twilight pale,
  When the night stoops down to embrace
     the day
And the voices call o'er the waters flow--
  Sometime at evening when the tide is low
I shall slip my moorings and sail away.

Through the purple shadows that darkly trail
  O'er the ebbing tide of the Unknown Sea,
I shall fare me away, with a dip of sail
  And a ripple of waters to tell the tale
Of a lonely voyager sailing away
  To Mystic Isles where at anchor lay
The crafts of those who have sailed before
  O'er the Unknown Sea to the Unknown
     Shore.

A few who have watched me sail away
  Will miss my craft from the busy bay;
Some friendly barks that were anchored near,
  Some loving hearts that my heart held
     dear,
In silent sorrow will drop a tear.
  But I shall have peacefully furled my sail
In moorings sheltered from storm or gale,
  And greeted the friends who have sailed
     before
O'er the Unknown Sea to the Unseen Shore.

--Lizzie Clark Hardy