Solitude

Solitude

By Ella Wheeler Wilcox  

Laugh, and the world laughs with you;
Weep, and you weep alone;
For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth,
But has trouble enough of its own.
Sing, and the hills will answer;
Sigh, it is lost on the air;
The echoes bound to a joyful sound,
But shrink from voicing care.

Rejoice, and men will seek you;
Grieve, and they turn and go;
They want full measure of all your pleasure,
But they do not need your woe.
Be glad, and your friends are many;
Be sad, and you lose them all,
There are none to decline your nectared wine,
But alone you must drink life’s gall.

Feast, and your halls are crowded;
Fast, and the world goes by.
Succeed and give, and it helps you live,
But no man can help you die.
There is room in the halls of pleasure
For a large and lordly train,
But one by one we must all file on
Through the narrow aisles of pain.

I found this poem today and thought it may ring a bell for some of you as the first few lines are known to many.  I’ve been reading a lot of poetry these days and writing it as well.  It is amazing to find such solace in the words of others.  Do you feel the warmth of human connection in the poem above ~ the commonality of man?

What is your favorite poem?  Do you write poetry?

Shine On!

xo

Monday Morning’s Inspiration for Your Life

How to Make a Beautiful Life

Love yourself.
Make peace with who you are,
And where you are,
At this moment in time.
Listen to your heart.
If you can’t hear what it’s saying
In this noisy world,
Make time for yourself.
Enjoy your own company.
Let your mind wander among the stars.
Try.
Take chances.
Make mistakes.
Life can be messy
And confusing at times,
But it’s also full of surprises.
The next rock in your path
Might be a stepping stone.
Be happy.
When you don’t have what you want,
Want what you have.
Make do
That’s a well-kept secret of contentment.
There aren’t any shortcuts to tomorrow.
You have to make your own way.
To know where you are going
Is only part of it.
You need to know where you’ve been, too.
And if you ever get lost, don’t worry.
The people who love you will find you.
Count on it.
Life isn’t days and years.
It’s what you do with time
And with all the goodness and grace
That’s inside you.
Make a Beautiful life…
The kind of life you deserve.~unknown

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I found the poem above this morning and felt that it must be shared with you.

May you make yourself a beautiful life,

the kind you deserve.

I know you can do it…hold my hand.

We’ll do it together!

Shine On!

xo