Be Kind

I rose from sleep,
And there it came,
To stop my breath
To squelch my flame,
"You are unworthy,
Yours the blame,
You cannot hope
To win life's game"
But, deep inside,
I heard the words,
Encouraging,
"Be kind, Be kind"

How hard it is
To seek and find
The path that leads
To peace of mind;
To heed the voice
That climbs the slope,
Carrying the seeds of hope,
To light our path,
to conquer doubt,
The way is clear,
Its voice rings out,
"Be kind, be kind",

Pride will entice,
And ego take,
Crushing spirits
In their wake;
Their heavy shoes
Will weigh us down,
Direct our gaze
Inward and down;
Love stops cold
That toxic wheel;
Walk together
And we'll heal,
Arm in arm,
In kindness, building hope;

Be humble in our giving,
Humble in receiving,
Take pride in our gratitude,
Take pride in each kindness,
Take pride in every act of respect,
Take pride in acknowledging
That we are all children of the same family,
Sharing the playground together.
Edie Batstone