Thou art the comforter, the speaker of peace to our hearts,

Thou art the source of wisdom when ours is deficient or flawed,

Thou art the light that reveals truth about ordinary things,

Thou art warmth when all about is cold and frozen.

Thou art perfection in all that grows without mutation,

The symmetry, the balance, the colour, the scent, the song.

Thou art truth that leads to more truth that endows man with power and control,

Thou art the pure, unselfish intents of the heart. Thou art love.

Thou art hope where all is dark with no point to guide each step,

Thou art the wiping of a tear, the quelling of emotions, mercy and forgiveness,

Thou art the tender word, the ‘you’ not ‘me’, compassion and empathy,

Thou art the warmth and heart beat found in a longed for embrace.

Thou shows us clearly our weaknesses, which without condemnation inspires us to do better,

Thou persistently provides wiser alternatives, the outstretched hand, the life-raft.

Thou never wearies in our redemption, never, never, says we are damned!

Where even the greatest evil has taken root, in time or eternity it will be replaced.

Thy justice is never vindictive or vengeful, thy punishment but natural consequences,

Thy forgiveness is infinite, as is thy patience and mercy.

Universal, eternal life, provides universal, eternal, infinite opportunities.

Though we can shut thee out, thou wilt never exclude us from thy presence.

It mattereth not, thy form, thy shape, thy appearance,

Let whatever association inspires us most and represents thy character best be our model,

Be it father, mother, brother, sister or friend.

And never may that model find form on paper, in wood or stone, but remain in our imaginations.

Neither does it matter where thou dwellest, for thou art always at our side,

Thou art ever instantly accessible, without spoken word or gesture.

We feel thy presence in our heart whenever we call thee to mind.

When we ask thee to our bedside, while we sleep, we sleep in thy care.

When we leave this mortal toil we will in thy presence dwell,

And whatever the course of eternal life, in thy hand we will remain,

In thy presence all relationships will be restored without jealousy and hate,

Trust, love and forgiveness will be easy when we see thy face.

Then will all the ‘hows’ that filled our mortal minds be answered,

Then will all the ‘whys’ of past and future be made clear.

Then, in that eternal domain will our minds for ever expand, our abilities for ever increase,

Then, without limitation of time or space, we will spread our immortal wings!

Stephen W Petchey

(Written sometime in 2008, these words came from somewhere outside of myself.)