A poem for my grandson on the occasion of his birth...

I hope you have a long and easy road
I hope you don't bear too heavy a load
Struggles and hurts will make you strong
But I hope the pain never lasts too long

I hope you live surrounded by care
With family and friends who are always there
I hope you find a purpose to do
And in pursuing it, you find meaning too

I hope that you give peace a chance
And reject the path of violence
I hope you never go to war
Or blindly obey without asking what for

I hope you live life with a gentle touch
And never worry or stress to much
I hope you find a partner that's true
Like your parents did, and I did too

I wish that I could see it all through:
The amazing life that's ahead of you
But I'll only get to catch a slice
Before I'm finished with my own life

So try to leave the world a better place
Try to be an agent of grace
Try to consider others as valuable as you
Because someone had loving hopes for them too

But most of all, I hope you know
That you came from love, and to love you will go
Love will always follow you
And love will always see you through.