And
how will I speak? I will laud mine enemies and
they will become friends; I will encourage my friends
and they will become brothers and sisters.
Always will I dig for reasons to applaud; never will I
scratch for excuses to gossip. When I am tempted
to criticize I will bite on my tongue; when I am moved
to praise I will shout from the roofs.
Is
it not so that birds, the wind, the sea and all nature
speaks with the music of praise for their
creator? Cannot I speak with the same music to
his children? Henceforth will I remember this
secret and it will change my life.
I
will greet this day with love in my heart.
And
how will I act? I will love all manners of
people for each has qualities to be admired even
though they be hidden. With love I will tear
down the wall of suspicion and hate which they have
built round their hearts and in its place will I build
bridges so that my love may enter their souls.
I
will love the ambitious for they can inspire me; I
will love the failures for they can teach me. I
will love the kings for they are but human; I will
love the meek for they are divine. I will love
the rich for they are yet lonely; I will love the poor
for they are so many. I will love the young for
the faith they hold; I will love the old for the
wisdom they share. I will love the beautiful for
their eyes of sadness; I will love the ugly for their
souls of peace.
I
will greet this day with love in my heart.
But
how will I react to the actions of others? With
love. For just as love is my weapon to open the
hearts of people, love is also my shield to repulse
the arrows of hate and the spears of anger.
Adversity and discouragement will beat against my new
shield and become as the softest of rains. My
shield will protect me in the marketplace and sustain
me when I am alone. It will uplift me in moments
of despair yet it will calm me in time of
exultation. It will become stronger and more
protective with use until one day I will cast it aside
and walk unencumbered among all manners of people and,
when I do, my name will be raised high on the pyramid
of life.
I
will greet this day with love in my heart.
And
how will I confront each whom I meet? In only
one way. In silence and to myself I will address
him or her and say I Love You. Though spoken in
silence these words will shine in my eyes, unwrinkle
my brow, bring a smile to my lips, and echo in my
voice; and his or her heart will be opened. . . .
I
will greet this day with love in my heart.
And
most of all I will love myself. For when I do I
will zealously inspect all things which enter my body,
my mind, my soul, and my heart. Never will I
overindulge the requests of my flesh, rather I will
cherish my body with cleanliness and moderation.
Never will I allow my mind to be attracted to evil and
despair, rather I will uplift it with the knowledge
and wisdom of the ages. Never will I allow my
soul to become complacent and satisfied, rather I will
feed it with meditation and prayer. Never will I
allow my heart to become small and bitter, rather I
will share it and it will grow and warm the earth.
I
will greet this day with love in my heart.
Henceforth
will I love all humankind. From this moment all
hate is let from my veins for I have not time to hate,
only time to love. From this moment I take the
first step required to become a man among men. . . .
If I have no other qualities I can succeed with love
alone. Without it I will fail though I possess
all the knowledge and skills of the world.
I
will greet this day with love, and I will succeed.
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