A New Year’s Prayer
May God make your year a happy one!
Not by shielding you from all sorrows and pain, But by strengthening you to bear it, as it comes;
Not by making your path easy, But by making you sturdy to travel any path;
Not by taking hardships from you, But by taking fear from your heart;
Not by granting you unbroken sunshine, But by keeping your face bright, even in the shadows;
Not by making your life always pleasant, But by showing you when people and their causes need you most, and by making you anxious to be there to help.