Let Us Hold in Our Hearts

The poem, "Let Us Now Hold Hands" by Pat Mora has always resonated with me:  It begins:
     

     "Let us now hold hands

     With the Iroquois woman who slipped berries into children’s lips

     While her sisters planted stars with a wooden hoe,

     With the woman who rubbed warm oil into her neighbor’s feet

     When Plymouth’s winter prowled and howled outside their doors...

    … with the woman who parted her parched lips and sang

     for her mother when they staggered onto these shores in chains,

     with the woman who trained her stubborn tongue to wrap

     around that spiny language, English, to place her child in school....."

For this holiday season, I've "tweaked" the sentiment of the poem, and come up with my own version.

This holiday season, let us hold in our hearts...

Let us hold in our hearts the lonely, the quiet ones; they will not ask, but we need to remember to include them.

Let us hold in our hearts the poor and the hungry; let us open our wallets and give generously, to make the winter warmer for everyone.  

Let us hold in our hearts the families of Newtown, who lost so many children and adults in a few horrifying moments last December.  Let us also hold in our hearts the families of the 194 children killed by guns in the past year.  The quiet that replaces that loved child must be unbearable, and the thoughts of that violent death must be maddening.  Let us dedicate ourselves anew to doing all we can to stop gun violence; our children deserve so much more from us.

Let us hold in our hearts the sick.  We may not see it, but any person we encounter may be suffering physically, emotionally, mentally.  Let us remember to be gentle with each other.

Let us hold in our hearts those who are abused and beaten.  May they know love, and find the courage and strength to get help, and may we have the vision and wisdom to reach out and help.  

Let us hold in our hearts the teenagers and young adults, disowned by their families for the "sin" of  being gay or transgender.  Let us open our circles to include them, demonstrating that "Family can be chosen."

Let us hold in our hearts those who are far from families this holiday season.  Let us open our circles to include them too.  

Let us hold in our hearts those we disagree with; for maybe then we ALL can live by the Golden Rule: "Treat others the way you wish to be treated."

Let us hold in our hearts those who have lost a loved one this past year, for the holiday season will be so difficult for them.  Please find a way to reach out, and if needed, cry with them. 

Let us hold in our hearts our legislators; may our kindness and civility show them the way, will be an example to them.

Let us hold in our hearts those parents who are doing the best they can for their families--goodness knows they could use a bit of TLC themselves.  Let us hold in our hearts the single parents especially--may we find a way to give them the gift of worry-free rest.

Let us hold in our hearts each other; let us give each other the gift of human kindness.  It's a gift that will keep on giving all through the year ahead.