A PRAYER FOR THE NEW YEAR
By Helen Steiner Rice

God grant us this year a wider view
So we can see other's faults through the eyes of YOU --
Teach us to judge not with hasty tongue,
Neither the ADULT...nor the YOUNG,
Give us patience and grace to endure,
And a stronger faith so we feel secure,
And instead of remembering, help us to forget

The irritations that caused us to fret,
Freely forgiving for some offense
And finding each day a rich recompense
In offering a friendly, helping hand
And trying in all ways to understand
That ALL OF US whoever we are
Are trying to reach "an unreachable star" --

For the GREAT and SMALL ...the GOOD and BAD,

The YOUNG and OLD...the SAD and GLAD
Are asking today, "IS LIFE WORTH LIVING FOR?"

And the ANSWER is only in LOVING and GIVING--

For only LOVE can make man kind
And KINDNESS of HEART brings PEACE OF MIND,

And by giving love we can start this year

To lift the clouds of HATE and FEAR.

"God grant you and your dear ones a peaceful and a love-filled New Year!"