To have walked in thunder and welcomed rain,
to have slept through the storm and woken again,
to have felt the fear and still have loved,
is to have tasted the life that is lived above.

To have winced at the hearing of vengeful word,
to have cursed and wept at insults heard,
To have cringed at the sound of laughing foe,
is to have tasted the life that is lived below.

To have forgiven an enemy and gained a friend,
to have admitted pride and made amends,
to have abandoned wrong and cherished right,
is to have learned of life that is lived in the light.

To have hoarded lust and squandered gold,
to have nourished greed and neglected the soul,
To have lavished the flesh and starved the heart,
is to have learned of life that is lived in the dark.

To have held on to this world’s rot,
is to have and yet have not.
To have used for good this world’s store,
is to let go and yet have more.

To have cherished Christ and exalted God,
to have kept in pace with the Spirit’s trod,
to have surrendered self and all that is strife,
is to have departed death and entered life.

H. Arnett
4/1/05