Saturday 31 December 2011

Changes...

image from The Graphics Fairy



So, my loves, 2012 is almost upon us.  Where on earth has 2011 gone??  The days/weeks/months just flew by so quickly!  Sam and Beverly will be 21 at the end of January and it simply doesn't seem possible; it only seems like such a short time since they were newborns and here they both are, all grown up already.  And as for me ~ well I turned 50 back in June, six whole months ago, and I still can't quite believe how old I now am!

In some ways I shall be happy to see the end of 2011.  It has been a funny sort of year for me ~ a kind of transition period really.  In many ways, on the surface at least, my life has just been plodding on much the same as it always did.  Inside, though, cogs have been turning; thoughts, ideas and plans have been whirling in my mind, leading to decisions being made.

None of these decision are particularly big, gasp-inducing or of earth-shattering importance but each one, whether it be teeny-weeny, small or smallish, will mean lots of changes to my life and the way I have been living it.  Some of the changes have already taken place over the past couple of months or so: adopting Nikki and Matty and the subsequent exercise involved in living with a couple of doggies, joining a gym and taking a long, hard look at my "image".

2012 will be a year of building on the little changes already made, putting some more into practice and no doubt rethinking others.  So, my loves, you can look forward (???) to reading many of my little ramblings and I am hoping that there will be many more "ups" to share with you than "downs"!

Friday 30 December 2011

A Monthly Make for 2012


Well, my loves, your's truly has decided to join Annie's (The Felt Fairy) Monthly Make for 2012 *eeeeek*  I'm hoping that it will give me the impetus to actually get some of these ideas out of my head and into the real world ~ and in the process, make more space in my poor 'ole bonce for normal, everyday thinking *hehehehe*  I would also like to start making as many birthday, Christmas, etc, gifts as I can for folk.

Oh sweetie~pies, I have SO many plans for this coming year ~ I just hope that I don't crash and burn before I've even gotten started!


Do you remember that I joined in with Angie's (Le monde de Sucrette) Giant Granny Square Challenge?  Well, I managed to complete my giant granny (which was to be a Christmas gift lap-blanket) with about a week to spare, my loves!  The recipient was so thrilled with her gift, which made me very happy indeed :-)  I was really pleased with how it turned out and love the pretty colours ~ all the yarn came from my humungous stash.....which is still pretty humungous LOL  I finished it off with a row of half trebles, followed by a bobble-shell edging which I discovered on Lucy's (Attic 24) delightful blog. 

Beverly concentrating on some last minute pressie-wrapping!

And talking of lap-blankets, the one I'm making for Beverly's birthday has been put on hold whilst she has been home for Christmas ~ I sure do hope that I get it finished in time for the 28th January!  I wonder if I can pass it off as my January Monthly Make for 2012 ;-)

Thursday 29 December 2011

Doggie deluge!






Well okay, my loves, no doggies in this photo but they were with Adrian and myself when I took the photo ;-)  We often take the mutts for a walk along the Purwell Valley River Walk, which is on our doorstep as it were.


A view along the river.  Beverly and I took Matty and Nikki along here yesterday and I was quite shocked by the amount of litter everywhere :-( 

I must confess that I am pretty selective about the photos I take, trying to avoid all the "nasty" bits, but perhaps I should have an exercise in photographing all the rubbish folk dump.  I just don't understand why people think it is perfectly okay to simply drop their beer cans, cigarette packets/stubs, bottles, etc, wherever they go.  Do they do this in their own homes for goodness sake!

The water runs very quickly beneath the road and is surprisingly noisy!

 
Hubby and the "kids" at the end of our walk :-)


I often find Mr Matty laying like this, sweetie~pies!  His eyes gradually close and then his head starts to droop LOL


My beautiful little girlie :-)


We took Nikki and Matty along to a little dog show the other week, just over on Walsworth Common.  We were "persuaded" to enter them both into the best rescue dog category and Nikki won second place!  Oh no my loves, she isn't sleeping ~ just being suitably modest about her success ;-)

Nikki finds that Matty makes a very nice footstool, thank you very much LOL  Matty is very laid back and doesn't seem to be in the least bit bothered when Nikki rests her head or feet on him, but she isn't quite so accommodating when he does the same! 


Snoozing back-to-back :-)


Nap time!  Beverly had to move in the end as she was getting so hot LOL


My two gorgeous girlies :-)

The Thursday Poem

Young Woman Reading by a Window by Delphin Enjolras



Our Christmas Tree

Our Christmas tree, stood straight and tall,
We had it standing in the hall,
With decorations, sparkling bright,
And baubles, glittering in the light,
Rich tinsel laced around branches wide,
With bells and bows, that could be spied
Hiding among the dark green pine,
In silver and gold, boldly they did shine,
And at the very top, such a wondrous sight,
A star was placed there, which gave delight.
The whole effect so pleasured the eye.

We planted it outside, now it's 18 feet high.
This year it will once again, be a thrill,
Hung with big coloured lights, in the crisp winter
chill.

Ernestine Northover

Wednesday 28 December 2011

Nikki and the doggie dentist


Nikki went to the vet for her dental work on the 9th December.  This treatment was funded by the GRWE as it was work which needed to be done in any event, whether Nikki had been rehomed or not.

She was kept in overnight as more surgery was done than had originally been anticipated.  When the vet examined Nikki's mouth it was apparent that there was a lot more damage than had been realised previously.  As well as having teeth extracted, the poor little girl also had to have part of her jaw removed and it was discovered that at some point she had lost part of her tongue :-(

Nikki came through the surgery okay but the vet wanted to keep her in overnight so that she could see how she coped with eating the following day.  We knew that Nikki would need teeth removing simply because of the damage to her jaw from the presumed badger-baiting; as you know, she lost her lower lip as well. The damage was worse than had been thought though when she was first examined on arriving here from Ireland.  Sadly, it didn't really come as a surprise when I was told that she had had to have more extensive surgery.  When you see her close up and see all the scars she has, it's a miracle that she has survived to be frank ~ let alone sustain a pregnancy and give birth to eight puppies. She is a little fighter!

My little girl came home the following morning :-)  She was pretty subdued at the vet's and snuggled up against me whilst we waited for Kelli (the GRWE area co-ordinator, who was coming to pick us up) to arrive.  Nikki had all four canines removed, along with an incisor which was sticking straight out of her mouth.  She has also had part of her jaw removed at the front and her lip "tidied up".  I have to say that the vet at the Boness Vetinary Hospital (in Barton-Le-Clay, Bedfordshire) did a wonderful job; looking at Nikki now, she just looks as if she has an undershot jaw ~ it's quite amazing!


Here is a closer photo of Nikki's jaw, although it's not that easy to see what has been done I must admit!  She has had a couple of check-ups and is due to go back to the vet next week for another.  They are pleased with her progress but the healing process is taking some time, which is hardly surprising when you consider what has been done.  The canine teeth were pretty large and consequently left big holes in her jaws which had to be sutured.  She has just finished her antibiotics and is doing very well.  She has been eating well since virtually straight after the operation and is now back to playing with her toys ~ a good sign, methinks :-)


Here she is before her big op, cuddled up with her Dad :-)

Our beautiful little Nikki deserves to live a happy, contented life, free from fear ~ and Adrian and I will do all we can to ensure that she does just that for the rest of her doggy days :-)

Tuesday 27 December 2011

And about time too!


Naughty Child by Edwin Henry Landseer

Yes, my loves, once more I have been a very "bad blogger" ~ no posts of much substance for days on end!  I have given myself a good talking to, a little slap on the wrist and have promised myself to try harder during 2012 ;-)

Monday 26 December 2011

Start the week with a quote...

image from The Graphics Fairy





I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month.

  Harlan Miller

Sunday 25 December 2011

On this Christmas Day...

image from The Graphics Fairy


I wish you all a happy, peaceful and joyful day, my loves

Sharon
xxx

Prayer for World Peace

Dove of Peace ~ Giclee print



We pray to the great Spiritual Power in which we live and move and have our being.
We pray that we may at all times keep our minds open to new ideas and shun dogma;
that we may grow in our understanding of the nature of all living beings and our connectedness with the natural world;
that we may become ever more filled with generosity of spirit and true compassion and love for all life;
that we may strive to heal the hurts that we have inflicted on nature and control our greed for material things, knowing that our actions are harming our natural world and the future of our children;
that we may value each and every human being for who he is, for who she is, reaching to the spirit that is within, knowing the power of each individual to change the world.

We pray for social justice, for the alleviation of the crippling poverty that condemns millions of people around the world to lives of misery - hungry, sick, and utterly without hope.
We pray for the children who are starving, who are condemned to homelessness, slave labour, prostitution, and especially for those forced to fight, to kill and torture even members of their own family.
We pray for the victims of violence and war, for those wounded in body and for those wounded in mind.
We pray for the multitudes of refugees, forced from their homes to alien places through war or through the utter destruction of their environment.

We pray for suffering animals everywhere, for an end to the pain caused by scientific experimentation, intensive farming, fur farming, shooting, trapping, training for entertainment, abusive pet owners, and all other forms of exploitation such as overloading and overworking pack animals, bull fighting, badger baiting, dog and cock fighting and so many more.

We pray for an end to cruelty, whether to humans or other animals, for an end to bullying, and torture in all its forms.
We pray that we may learn the peace that comes with forgiving and the strength we gain in loving;
that we may learn to take nothing for granted in this life;
that we may learn to see and understand with our hearts;
that we may learn to rejoice in our being.

We pray for these things with humility;
We pray because of the hope that is within us, and because of a faith in the ultimate triumph of the human spirit;
We pray because of our love for Creation, and because of our trust in God.
We pray, above all, for peace throughout the world.

prayer for world peace ~ dr jane goodall

Friday 23 December 2011

Thursday 22 December 2011

The Thursday Poem

Young Woman Reading by a Window by Delphin Enjolras


The Christmas Tree

In the dark and damp of the alley cold,
Lay the Christmas tree that hadn't been sold;
By a shopman dourly thrown outside;
With the ruck and rubble of Christmas-tide;
Trodden deep in the muck and mire,
Unworthy even to feed a fire...
So I stopped and salvaged that tarnished tree,
And thus is the story it told to me:

"My Mother was Queen of the forest glade,
And proudly I prospered in her shade;
For she said to me: 'When I am dead,
You will be monarch in my stead,
And reign, as I, for a hundred years,
A tower of triumph amid your peers,
When I crash in storm I will yield you space;
Son, you will worthily take my place.'

"So I grew in grace like a happy child,
In the heart of the forest free and wild;
And the moss and the ferns were all about,
And the craintive mice crept in and out;
And a wood-dove swung on my highest twig,
And a chipmunk chattered: 'So big! So big!'
And a shy fawn nibbled a tender shoot,
And a rabbit nibbled under my root...
Oh, I was happy in rain and shine
As I thought of the destiny that was mine!
Then a man with an axe came cruising by
And I knew that my fate was to fall and die.

"With a hundred others he packed me tight,
And we drove to a magic city of light,
To an avenue lined with Christmas trees,
And I thought: may be I'll be one of these,
Tinselled with silver and tricked with gold,
A lovely sight for a child to behold;
A-glitter with lights of every hue,
Ruby and emerald, orange and blue,
And kiddies dancing, with shrieks of glee -
One might fare worse than a Christmas tree.

"So they stood me up with a hundred more
In the blaze of a big department store;
But I thought of the forest dark and still,
And the dew and the snow and the heat and the chill,
And the soft chinook and the summer breeze,
And the dappled deer and the birds and the bees...
I was so homesick I wanted to cry,
But patient I waited for someone to buy.
And some said 'Too big,' and some 'Too small,'
And some passed on saying nothing at all.
Then a little boy cried: Ma, buy that one,'
But she shook her head: 'Too dear, my son."
So the evening came, when they closed the store,
And I was left on the littered floor,
A tree unwanted, despised, unsold,
Thrown out at last in the alley cold."

Then I said: "Don't sorrow; at least you'll be
A bright and beautiful New Year's tree,
All shimmer and glimmer and glow and gleam,
A radiant sight like a fairy dream.
For there is a little child I know,
Who lives in poverty, want and woe;
Who lies abed from morn to night,
And never has known an hour's delight..."

So I stood the tree at the foot of her bed:
"Santa's a little late," I said.
"Poor old chap! Snowbound on the way,
But he's here at last, so let's be gay."
Then she woke from sleep and she saw you there,
And her eyes were love and her lips were prayer.
And her thin little arms were stretched to you
With a yearning joy that they never knew.
She woke from the darkest dark to see
Like a heavenly vision, that Christmas Tree.

Her mother despaired and feared the end,
But from that day she began to mend,
To play, to sing, to laugh with glee...
Bless you, O little Christmas Tree!
You died, but your life was not in vain:
You helped a child to forget her pain,
And let hope live in our hearts again.
Robert William Service
(January 16, 1874 – September 11, 1958)

Monday 19 December 2011

Start the week with a quote...

image from The Graphics Fairy

When it is dark enough,

you can see the stars

Sunday 18 December 2011

Prayer for World Peace

Dove of Peace ~ Giclee print



We pray to the great Spiritual Power in which we live and move and have our being.
We pray that we may at all times keep our minds open to new ideas and shun dogma;
that we may grow in our understanding of the nature of all living beings and our connectedness with the natural world;
that we may become ever more filled with generosity of spirit and true compassion and love for all life;
that we may strive to heal the hurts that we have inflicted on nature and control our greed for material things, knowing that our actions are harming our natural world and the future of our children;
that we may value each and every human being for who he is, for who she is, reaching to the spirit that is within, knowing the power of each individual to change the world.

We pray for social justice, for the alleviation of the crippling poverty that condemns millions of people around the world to lives of misery - hungry, sick, and utterly without hope.
We pray for the children who are starving, who are condemned to homelessness, slave labour, prostitution, and especially for those forced to fight, to kill and torture even members of their own family.
We pray for the victims of violence and war, for those wounded in body and for those wounded in mind.
We pray for the multitudes of refugees, forced from their homes to alien places through war or through the utter destruction of their environment.

We pray for suffering animals everywhere, for an end to the pain caused by scientific experimentation, intensive farming, fur farming, shooting, trapping, training for entertainment, abusive pet owners, and all other forms of exploitation such as overloading and overworking pack animals, bull fighting, badger baiting, dog and cock fighting and so many more.

We pray for an end to cruelty, whether to humans or other animals, for an end to bullying, and torture in all its forms.
We pray that we may learn the peace that comes with forgiving and the strength we gain in loving;
that we may learn to take nothing for granted in this life;
that we may learn to see and understand with our hearts;
that we may learn to rejoice in our being.

We pray for these things with humility;
We pray because of the hope that is within us, and because of a faith in the ultimate triumph of the human spirit;
We pray because of our love for Creation, and because of our trust in God.
We pray, above all, for peace throughout the world.

prayer for world peace ~ dr jane goodall

Friday 16 December 2011

The Thursday Poem

Young Woman Reading by a Window by Delphin Enjolras

The Foolish Fir-Tree

A tale that the poet Rückert told
To German children, in days of old;
Disguised in a random, rollicking rhyme
Like a merry mummer of ancient time,
And sent, in its English dress, to please
The little folk of the Christmas trees.

A little fir grew in the midst of the wood
Contented and happy, as young trees should.
His body was straight and his boughs were clean;
And summer and winter the bountiful sheen
Of his needles bedecked him, from top to root,
In a beautiful, all-the-year, evergreen suit.

But a trouble came into his heart one day,
When he saw that the other trees were gay
In the wonderful raiment that summer weaves
Of manifold shapes and kinds of leaves:
He looked at his needles so stiff and small,
And thought that his dress was the poorest of all.
Then jealousy clouded the little tree's mind,
And he said to himself, "It was not very kind
"To give such an ugly old dress to a tree!
"If the fays of the forest would only ask me,
"I'd tell them how I should like to be dressed,—
"In a garment of gold, to bedazzle the rest!"
So he fell asleep, but his dreams were bad.
When he woke in the morning, his heart was glad;
For every leaf that his boughs could hold
Was made of the brightest beaten gold.
I tell you, children, the tree was proud;
He was something above the common crowd;
And he tinkled his leaves, as if he would say
To a pedlar who happened to pass that way,
"Just look at me! don't you think I am fine?
"And wouldn't you like such a dress as mine?"
"Oh, yes!" said the man, "and I really guess
I must fill my pack with your beautiful dress."
So he picked the golden leaves with care,
And left the little tree shivering there.

"Oh, why did I wish for golden leaves?"
The fir-tree said, "I forgot that thieves
"Would be sure to rob me in passing by.
"If the fairies would give me another try,
"I'd wish for something that cost much less,
"And be satisfied with glass for my dress!"
Then he fell asleep; and, just as before,
The fairies granted his wish once more.
When the night was gone, and the sun rose clear,
The tree was a crystal chandelier;
And it seemed, as he stood in the morning light,
That his branches were covered with jewels bright.
"Aha!" said the tree. "This is something great!"
And he held himself up, very proud and straight;
But a rude young wind through the forest dashed,
In a reckless temper, and quickly smashed
The delicate leaves. With a clashing sound
They broke into pieces and fell on the ground,
Like a silvery, shimmering shower of hail,
And the tree stood naked and bare to the gale.

Then his heart was sad; and he cried, "Alas
"For my beautiful leaves of shining glass!
"Perhaps I have made another mistake
"In choosing a dress so easy to break.
"If the fairies only would hear me again
"I'd ask them for something both pretty and plain:
"It wouldn't cost much to grant my request,—
"In leaves of green lettuce I'd like to be dressed!"
By this time the fairies were laughing, I know;
But they gave him his wish in a second; and so
With leaves of green lettuce, all tender and sweet,
The tree was arrayed, from his head to his feet.
"I knew it!" he cried, "I was sure I could find
"The sort of a suit that would be to my mind.
"There's none of the trees has a prettier dress,
"And none as attractive as I am, I guess."
But a goat, who was taking an afternoon walk,
By chance overheard the fir-tree's talk.
So he came up close for a nearer view;—
"My salad!" he bleated, "I think so too!
"You're the most attractive kind of a tree,
"And I want your leaves for my five-o'clock tea."
So he ate them all without saying grace,
And walked away with a grin on his face;
While the little tree stood in the twilight dim,
With never a leaf on a single limb.

Then he sighed and groaned; but his voice was weak—
He was so ashamed that he could not speak.
He knew at last that he had been a fool,
To think of breaking the forest rule,
And choosing a dress himself to please,
Because he envied the other trees.
But it couldn't be helped, it was now too late,
He must make up his mind to a leafless fate!
So he let himself sink in a slumber deep,
But he moaned and he tossed in his troubled sleep,
Till the morning touched him with joyful beam,
And he woke to find it was all a dream.
For there in his evergreen dress he stood,
A pointed fir in the midst of the wood!
His branches were sweet with the balsam smell,
His needles were green when the white snow fell.
And always contented and happy was he,—
The very best kind of a Christmas tree.


Henry Van Dyke
(10th November 1852 – 10th April 1933)

Monday 12 December 2011

Start the week with a quote...

image from The Graphics Fairy



You can't test courage cautiously



Sunday 11 December 2011

Prayer for World Peace

Dove of Peace ~ Giclee print



We pray to the great Spiritual Power in which we live and move and have our being.
We pray that we may at all times keep our minds open to new ideas and shun dogma;
that we may grow in our understanding of the nature of all living beings and our connectedness with the natural world;
that we may become ever more filled with generosity of spirit and true compassion and love for all life;
that we may strive to heal the hurts that we have inflicted on nature and control our greed for material things, knowing that our actions are harming our natural world and the future of our children;
that we may value each and every human being for who he is, for who she is, reaching to the spirit that is within, knowing the power of each individual to change the world.

We pray for social justice, for the alleviation of the crippling poverty that condemns millions of people around the world to lives of misery - hungry, sick, and utterly without hope.
We pray for the children who are starving, who are condemned to homelessness, slave labour, prostitution, and especially for those forced to fight, to kill and torture even members of their own family.
We pray for the victims of violence and war, for those wounded in body and for those wounded in mind.
We pray for the multitudes of refugees, forced from their homes to alien places through war or through the utter destruction of their environment.

We pray for suffering animals everywhere, for an end to the pain caused by scientific experimentation, intensive farming, fur farming, shooting, trapping, training for entertainment, abusive pet owners, and all other forms of exploitation such as overloading and overworking pack animals, bull fighting, badger baiting, dog and cock fighting and so many more.

We pray for an end to cruelty, whether to humans or other animals, for an end to bullying, and torture in all its forms.
We pray that we may learn the peace that comes with forgiving and the strength we gain in loving;
that we may learn to take nothing for granted in this life;
that we may learn to see and understand with our hearts;
that we may learn to rejoice in our being.

We pray for these things with humility;
We pray because of the hope that is within us, and because of a faith in the ultimate triumph of the human spirit;
We pray because of our love for Creation, and because of our trust in God.
We pray, above all, for peace throughout the world.

prayer for world peace ~ dr jane goodall

Thursday 8 December 2011

The Thursday Poem

Young Woman Reading by a Window by Delphin Enjolras


My Dog


'Twas in a pub just off the Strand
When I was in my cups,
There passed a bloke with in his hand
Two tiny puling pups;
And one was on me with a bound,
Seeking to lick my face,
And so I bought him for a pound
And took him to my place.

Three acres by the shore I own,
A hut, a pint wood;
And there for fifteen years alone
He shared my solitude.
It was his own, his only world,
And when with hunting spent,
Each night beside my bed he curled,
And slept in sheer content.

My dog is dead. Though lone I be
I'll never have another;
For with his master-worship he
Was closer than a brother.
My foot is frail and I am old,
Yet how my heart can pity
Pups straining on a short leash-hold
And pent up in the city.

From all thought of self above,
And purged of sex emotion,
I know no form of living love
So deep as dogs devotion.
I have no hope at all of heaven,
I've lived in sin and strife;
But thank God! I at least have given
One dog a happy life.
Robert William Service
(16th January 1874 – 11th September 1958)

Tuesday 6 December 2011

A tad late...


...but the Christmas puddings are all done now, sweetie~pies :-)


It doesn't look like much at the moment, does it my loves?  But it smelt wonderful with the spices and alcohol before it even started cooking.  I always mix the pudding ingredients in my preserving pan as my largest mixing bowl isn't man enough for the job.  This year was a close call for the preserving pan, though, as I made double what I usually do!


Seven of the eight pudding awaiting their turn to be steamed.  Four were for friends/neighbours, three for family and one for us :-)


My old steamer, teamed with my Grandma's even older saucepan.  Hours and hours of steaming ensued ~ the biggest puddings took 7 hours, the smaller ones 6 and the smallest one of all took 5 hours.  The house was filled with the most glorious aroma whilst all that steaming was going on!


The first pudding (for a friend), gently steaming away on top of the hob :-)  The recipe for The Larkin Family Christmas Pudding is here.


Matty and Nikki were totally oblivious to all the kitchen activity, much preferring to have a snooze LOL

Monday 5 December 2011

Start the week with a quote...

image from The Graphics Fairy



In every real man, a child is hidden that wants to play

Sunday 4 December 2011

Unconscious Mutterings...




This week's words from LunaNina:
  1. Flannel ::   face
  2. Chairs ::  table
  3. Sporadic ::   infrequet
  4. Difficult ::   hard
  5. Amusing ::   funny
  6. Collapse ::   drop
  7. Hurtful::   nasty
  8. Thump ::   hit
  9. Frugal ::  careful
  10. Collectibles ::   collections

Prayer for World Peace

Dove of Peace ~ Giclee print




We pray to the great Spiritual Power in which we live and move and have our being.
We pray that we may at all times keep our minds open to new ideas and shun dogma;
that we may grow in our understanding of the nature of all living beings and our connectedness with the natural world;
that we may become ever more filled with generosity of spirit and true compassion and love for all life;
that we may strive to heal the hurts that we have inflicted on nature and control our greed for material things, knowing that our actions are harming our natural world and the future of our children;
that we may value each and every human being for who he is, for who she is, reaching to the spirit that is within, knowing the power of each individual to change the world.

We pray for social justice, for the alleviation of the crippling poverty that condemns millions of people around the world to lives of misery - hungry, sick, and utterly without hope.
We pray for the children who are starving, who are condemned to homelessness, slave labour, prostitution, and especially for those forced to fight, to kill and torture even members of their own family.
We pray for the victims of violence and war, for those wounded in body and for those wounded in mind.
We pray for the multitudes of refugees, forced from their homes to alien places through war or through the utter destruction of their environment.

We pray for suffering animals everywhere, for an end to the pain caused by scientific experimentation, intensive farming, fur farming, shooting, trapping, training for entertainment, abusive pet owners, and all other forms of exploitation such as overloading and overworking pack animals, bull fighting, badger baiting, dog and cock fighting and so many more.

We pray for an end to cruelty, whether to humans or other animals, for an end to bullying, and torture in all its forms.
We pray that we may learn the peace that comes with forgiving and the strength we gain in loving;
that we may learn to take nothing for granted in this life;
that we may learn to see and understand with our hearts;
that we may learn to rejoice in our being.

We pray for these things with humility;
We pray because of the hope that is within us, and because of a faith in the ultimate triumph of the human spirit;
We pray because of our love for Creation, and because of our trust in God.
We pray, above all, for peace throughout the world.

prayer for world peace ~ dr jane goodall