I’m sitting on the porch at Brian and Trudy’s house, thinking back over my life.  I’ve done so many things; been so many places; taken so many chances.  I’ve loved; I’ve lost; I’ve stood on the sidelines and waded into the fray. I’ve judged myself inadequate; I’ve been judged inadequate by others.  I’ve reached out when I could to people whose pain I could try to soothe.  I’ve held the hands of people whose pain took them beyond my reach.  I’ve done things that I would not do again, but everything I’ve ever done from love, I would do again regardless of the outcome.  When the sun sets, I will know that I have tried.  I have examined what has gone before and tried to change my path as I go forward.  The feelings that others experience matter to me.  I listen to their hearts and offer comfort.   When I am wounded, I forgive.  When I ache, I try to take it in stride.  When I experience delight, I let it burst out from me and wash over those around me.  What more could I do?  What more?  My eyes and my heart remain open, always, because only with open eyes and a welcoming heart can one move forward.  Only if one is willing to experience pain can one feel joy.  Only by forgiving can one be open to the peace that soothes.  I hold onto that.  I hold on.