The divine is not something high above us. It is heaven, it is in earth, it is inside us. ~Morihei Ueshiba

There wings are stretched wide,
fluttering around the flower,
A Butterfly gently lands on a leaf,
They possess a certain power.
Orange, gold, and some are yellow,
Some fly slow and some rather fast,
Always they put on a show of color
that makes this warm feeling last!
They take flight and move with such grace,
It’s fascinating to see how they land,
I enjoy watching one blend in,
As it sometimes greets my hand.
Some of them will fly in pairs,
while others remain alone,
There are some that appear quite small,
And yet there are some that seem full grown!
I have been told that they don’t live long,
Most only live several days,
It is such a wonder of nature,
As I watch as a new one stays.
They love to grace our gardens,
We love to watch them go by,
I am so lucky to have them around me,
As they are flying low and high!
There goes another one,
It stopped to delight me again,
Always lifting my spirits,
As only a butterfly can!

~ By Paul Peterzell

When life gets rough and the road is long
And it seems there is no light
When the dreams you had somehow seem lost
Remember to never give up the fight
When you look in the mirror and see a stranger take a closer look inside
Come out of the shadows and out of the darkness
There is no need to run and hide
Never give up on you
Never forget who you are
Always remember wherever you go
You’ll find that shining star
When you think about the life that you once had
A memory of the way things used to be
Remember that the things that were taken away
Are not the things that will set you free
Remember that you have the power within yourself
And a will that can never be broken
You will survive and grow stronger
This much I know for the angels in Heaven have spoken
Never give up on you
Never forget who you are
Always remember wherever you go
You’ll find that shining star
When you thought the path you chose
Would lead to you to where you want to go
Remember that sometimes the path must be changed
In order for you to grow
When you thought your life had no meaning
Remember that we all have our own special gifts
Look deep inside yourself and sometimes you’ll find
Those things you might have missed
Never give up on you
Never forget who you are
Always remember wherever you go
You’ll find that shining star
We all have the power to change our lives
We’re all born with greatness inside
Don’t let your fears hold you back from dreams
And don’t ever feel you have to hide
Climb that rainbow and reach for the stars
And find your shining light
Remember you’ll survive whatever life brings
And your spirit will shine so bright
Never give up on you
Never forget who you are
Always remember wherever you go
You’ll find that shining star

Poem title: Never Give Up On You
~Donna Webster 2002

….•*•.¸¸. ♥

Under my umbrella
I like to stay all dry
And enjoy the rainy weather
As it falls down from the sky

~by Jaymie Gerard

….•*•.¸¸. ♥

With my lifetime favorite Buddhist nun, Sony Nuon at the funeral service of the nun Hor Prum in Providence, Rhode Island yesterday. This extraordinary woman has been very close to the nun Hor Prum who passed away last Saturday [January 23, 2016]. They talked with each other till the last day of the nun Hor Prum. I know she missed nun Hor Prum so much. I was with both of them since a little girl, since I knew nothing about Buddhism. Both of them took really good care of me. Their compassion and loving kindness live in my heart forever… ~Jendhamuni