The Give and Take of Life

The only thing that keeps us from breaking under life's constant giving and taking, is grace.

Sometimes it feels like we take more

Than our fair share of grin-and-bear

My points of view too oft ignore

Your points of view way over there

Life’s second miles would wear us thin

And the lament of longing too

If love were not the law within

That bends our will to see it through

The heart before the hand must learn

The art of humble give and take,

Then we won’t ponder its return

But simply do it for love’s sake

We are all beggars in the mind

The give and take of life, a tool

That teaches us how to be kind

Or else a blind and broken fool

The Golden Rule of Life is thus;

To do to others as we would

That others would do unto us

This law of give and take is good

© Janet Martin