Dear friends, I am happily unplugged today, so I send you this wise and generous poem from Padraig O’Tuama, from the volume Readings from the Book of Exile.

Dear ones, may we be gentle with our selves.

Friends, welcome to the night, and welcome to the day.

‘TIS THE GIFT

’Tis the gift to be gentle

with your self at the end

of a day when you’ve given

of a day when you’re spent.

To re-create, to breathe,

and to rest

and to treat your own self

as your own

welcome guest

 

When hospitality’s in place

you’ll be kinder

to your self

and less inclined to haste.

 

You’ll turn

and you’ll fall

and you’ll find

that you’ll say

 

welcome to the night

and

welcome to the day.