To Haiti, With Love

"The night is the mother of the day,
The winter of the spring;
And ever upon old decay
The greenest mosses cling.

Behind the cloud the starlight lurks,
Through showers the sunbeams fall,
For God, who loveth all his works,
Has left his hope with all."

~ John Greenleaf Whittier

Last weekend my mother brought me a gift -- a small wooden plaque displaying a poem given to her by her great grandmother. The poem is entitled "The Silver Lining".

In 1909, James Mudge compiled a beautiful book called Poems with Power to Strengthen the Soul, and "The Silver Lining" is within its pages. Probably penned before the end of the 19th century, the author is unknown, which only adds to its mysterious appeal.

In the preface for his book, Mr. Mudge says:

"Poetry is of the very highest value for the inspiration and guidance of life, for calling out the emotions and opening up spiritual visions. It carries truths not only into the understanding, but into the heart, where they are likely to have the most direct effect on conduct."

Mudge listed "The Silver Lining" under the section HOPE - Progress, Optimism, Enthusiasm. Stating his collection of verses was those "which would have intrinsic spiritual value and elevating power; those whose immediate tendency would be to make people better.... words that would send the spirit heavenward, or even earthward with any added love for humanity..."


In honor of all the brave Haitian souls -- those who have passed on and those who survived the earthquake -- I offer this poem along with a few others for you. Someone once told me "your thoughts are prayers, and they are heard and responded to". So my thoughts of love, peace and healing are with you, dear brothers and sisters of Haiti. No man is an island. We are all One.

"THE SILVER LINING" (author unknown)

There's never a day so sunny
But a little cloud appears;
There's never a life so happy
But has its time of tears.
Yet the sun shines out the brighter
Whenever the tempest clears.

There's never a garden growing,
With roses in every plot;
There's never a heart so hardened
But it has one tender spot.
We have only to prune the border
To find the forget-me-knot.

There's never a sun that rises
But we know 'twill set at night;
The tints that gleam in the morning
At evening are just as bright.
And that hour that is the sweetest
Is between the dark and light.

There's never a dream so happy
But the wakening makes us sad;
There's never a dream of sorrow
But the wakening makes us glad.
We shall look some day with wonder
At the trouble we have had.

*** *** ***

"Let us believe,
That there is hope for all the hearts that grieve;
That somewhere night
Drifts to a morning beautiful with light..."
~ Frank L. Stanton