Hindsight is a great teacher, although reflecting on our lives isn’t reserved for looking back at the past and learning lessons from it. We benefit from living thoughtfully and mindfully even if most of us would struggle to pay attention to every day, hour, or moment we live. I wrote this poem during the Covid pandemic. A time when life felt extremely fragile and more precious than ever. The image shares an excerpt from it but you can read the full version below.

What if you knew

What if you knew

how there’s not that much 

to distinguish us all

because deep down inside

we have a holy calling,

we are created for beauty,

for love and acceptance,

although we don’t always receive

enough of those things.

What if you knew

that the differences 

you can see are not 

all that important at all

because we’re all flesh

and blood people, all flawed,

all lost, all simply trying

to find our way home.

What if you knew

as you go to bed tonight

what a wonder,

what a gift it really is

to awaken to the light,

to breath, to movement

and energy enough

to help you carry out

some of those endless tasks.

What if you knew

just how precious you are,

shaped as you have been

by holy hands,

given purpose and destiny,

while you mull over

your own purposes and plans,

though they flourish best

when kept in God’s hands.

What if you knew

this life isn’t all there is,

there’s a whole new world 

waiting for us, it really exists,

a place of joy unspeakable

and an oasis of peace

beyond any you have known.

What if you knew

how much time you had

left—how would you

spend it, what would you

do, how would you live,

who would you hold close

and give thanks for

as you live out your last 

days with gratitude

for each moment, each breath?

© joylenton