Know the Sweet Joy

Live in joy,
In love,
Even among those who hate.
Live in joy,
In health,
Even among the afflicted.
Live in joy,
In peace,
Even among the troubled.
Look within.
Be Still.
Free from fear and attachment,
Know the sweet joy of living in the way.
                Buddha
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It was a room full of fear
And hate
People without trust
Thinking and believing the worst

Why is it we are so ready to believe the most horrible things?
Why do we look for them?
Why do we almost delight
In finding nasty little secrets?

This is no way to live!
How do we become people of joy and love
Health and peace?

It will not happen if we look outward
It will not happen if we let the externals
Shape us and determine us

It will only happen if we look within
Deep into the center of our being
Where sacred and human meet
And are woven together

Into a beautiful whole
And we awaken to the fact
that we are
Sacred beings
The Children of God.

and do not need to be afraid
(after all, perfect love - aka the Sacred One - casts out all fear)

Outside things will change
and people will disappoint
Outside the storm will rage
But we can have such sweet joy
in our souls