11 Valima

Naazesh - At a cousins wedding - a reading out of Gratitude mixed with a few other thoughts and quotes.

My name is Shasa, I'm the hermit cousin of N and I.

Im part of an movement called sharing love. We try an share anything we love, with love.

We believe in a concept called standing on the shoulders of giants, the giants of history with vision and compassion for their fellow man.

The piece I want to read out is called Gratitude for Partners from a collection called Essays to a Swan which I wrote a few years ago. Do bear with me if I get a little emotional. (pause) I read this as something for the dearly beloved couple to ponder as life unfurls.

Lord (pause), what a wonder this life, what joy to live those experiences long wrought by Thee for us.

To be first children (pause), viewing the world as wondrous, exploring it and finding those hidden treasures You left along the way.

Learning to take the bad with the good, learning that You have given us guardian angels to see us through. Giving us the power to dream as we grow up, and the ability to make those dreams come true. To give us a life and smile when we complain at the little things, knowing that one day, we will realise Your largeness of heart and the richness of life.

Then You bless us with friends as an extension of our families and we reach a new height. Just as we grow happy and grateful, You send a partner to us. A person with whom to build a home. To share life and watch it unfurl. To test our resolve and courage and forge the best in us. To help us when we falter, to give us purpose and to focus our character. To share future joys and sorrows.

And children You send, to make us learn responsibility. And to understand the bliss our parents knew when they raised us. Helpless to watch as they lead life in their own unique ways, laughing as they remind us of ourselves. Carrying our hopes forward a generation.

You accomodate every kind of person in this act of being, enriching our lives with Your grace. Watching as we discover the bounties You left for us, carrying Your spirit through our trials and reaping their rewards. Content as our relations deepen, our partner's personalities complementing our's, With our children on their way, and us at last with time to turn to Thee, to praise Thy name for life was thy gift to us.

With hearts lifted, we at last understand and bow to Thee, our Creator.

Ameen

I leave you with a few thoughts.

We shoot for the stars that we may hit the moon - Ranganathan Sir

Rome wasnt built in a day

There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in its hands. You seek problems because you need their gifts - Richard Bach

There is nothin to fear but fear itself.

Learning is finding out what you already know. Doing is demonstrating that you know it. Teaching is reminding others that they know just as well as you. You are all learners, doers, teachers - Richard Bach

The promised land is waiting like a maiden that is soon to be a bride - Kansas - The wall

thank you for your patience. may God's peace and love go with you.

hari om