THE ETERNAL SPRING OF ENCOURAGEMENT

© 2012 Howard McQueen

We are each on a journey,

 a journey into opportunities to uncover our courage,

 to encourage ourselves and others

 to look beyond and feel beyond the lenses of what we fear.

A journey to notice that when we contract in fear,

 we close like a beautiful flower

 and we deny ourselves of receiving life sustaining love

 and of giving life sustaining love.

A journey to notice that our contractions point to what we have neglected,

 an ignorance we have clung to

 that encourages us to perpetuate our denying love

 and closing down.

We are each on a solitary inner journey

 where there are constant opportunities to uncover common ground with others.

It is here where we are challenged to encourage connection and compassion,

 seemingly with the outside world.

Yet in truth, it is the opening and occupancy of our inner house

 that enables the eternal spring of encouragement to overflow.