May you find serenity and tranquility
in a world you may not always understand.
May the pain you have known
and the conflict you have experienced
give you the strength to walk through life
facing each new situation
with courage and optimism.
Always know that there are those
whose love and understanding
will always be there,
even when you feel most alone.
May a kind word,
a reassuring touch,
and a warm smile
be yours every day of your life,
and may you give these gifts
as well as receive them.
May the teachings of those you admire
become part of you,
so that you may call upon them.
Remember, those whose lives
you have touched
and who have touched yours
are always a part of you,
even if the encounters were
less than you would have wished.
It is the content of the encounter
that is more important than its form.
May you not become
too concerned with material matters
but instead place immeasurable value
on the goodness in your heart.
Find time in each day to see beauty and love
in the world around you.
That what you feel you lack in one regard
you may be more than compensated for in another.
What you feel you lack in the present
may become one of your strengths in the future.
May you see your future as
one filled with promise and possibility.
Learn to view everything as a worthwhile experience.
May you find enough inner strength
to determine your own worth by yourself,
and not be dependent
on another's judgment of your accomplishments.
May you always feel loved.
~ Sandra Sturtz Hauss |