Tag: gratitude

The Gift of Love

The Power of Love In Helping Us To Improve Our Lives

These poems are about the power of love in changing our lives for the better by encouraging us to follow our hearts and dreams in guiding us to find our unique destiny. Love also enables us to reach our full human potential by cultivating compassion for all the living beings on our great planet thus expanding our consciousness and appreciating the true miracle that all life is.

Mother and Child by Chris O’Malley

Today I Say A Prayer For The Gift of Love

Today, I see a lovely flower
and look at it as if for the first time.
I see how beautiful is my child
and thank God for the most precious gift
which he has given me.
I look at her soft, radiant eyes and
her sweet little face;
I feel her little body wrapped in my arms…
so grateful to have her to love and to hold.
Let me realize just how valuable is today…
to explore my talents,
no matter how they may be judged;
free me from restraint to tell those that I love,
to fully experience the breadth
of my humanity…
not to cower in a corner-
always afraid to reach out
or speak what I believe to be true.
Awaken my spirituality,
let me experience what it is like
to stand on a mountain top-
filled with a moment of eternity,
to feel part of what was before…
now… and will be.
Let something of me remain after I’m gone-
to reveal that I lived and had something to say.
Give me insight to see before I act
so as not to cause another pain or injury.
Let me have empathy for all sentient beings…
to realize there’s a sanctity about all life,
and let not money or power corrupt my soul…
help me today to stop excusing my limitations
by accepting the challenge to
change and become a better person.

~ Lora Hollings

“I Choose Love”
~ Shawn Gallaway

This is a video which shows how we can choose to live our lives with love and create a more peaceful world uniting us all as one people who can tackle important challenges of the future such as climate change, saving our wildlife, and our planet. We have the choice to create a brighter tomorrow for our children and future generations- a world where there’s no place for hatred or violence toward any living being. A world where we all learn to respect each other for the special gifts that we have and where all people have a chance to contribute these gifts and lead rewarding lives.

To Feel The Miracle of Love

Surely This Must Be Heaven

Surely this must be heaven…
when I can look up into the treetops
and see the light rays streaming
through gently swaying leaves.
Surely this must be heaven…
when you hold me in your arms
with such tenderness,
and I hear the beating of your heart
so close to mine.
Surely this must be heaven…
when my little dog
with his calming presence
helps to relieve the burden of my worries
and loves me so devotedly.
Surely this must be heaven,
when I feel my child
in the grasp of an embrace…
and I thank God
for the precious gift of life-
to feel the miracle of love.

~ Lora Hollings

Let’s be Friends –
Dolphin and Dog Become True Friends

Animals also show an amazing capacity to form deep bonds of affection with each other even with members from another species enriching their lives as well. We see in this video of a true friendship between a dolphin and a dog that these animals’ affection for each other not only parallels our own but that they have the capacity for empathy or the ability to understand and share the feelings of others too. Thus we cannot limit the capacity to feel love only to human beings.

Cute Cat Befriends Dolphins –
We Don’t Have To Be Alike to Be Friends

Cat befriends dolphins in this charming video which shows that animals, once again, can develop bonds of friendship with each other even crossing the boundaries between species. Maybe animals can teach us to be more tolerant of our differences, and instead connect with others on a deeper, more spiritual level.

Live your Life With Love and Treasure the Beauty of the Moment

Quotes About Life and Love

“The love we give away is the only love we keep.”
-Elbert Hubbard

“If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.”
-Siddhartha Buddha

Love does not dominate. It cultivates.
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson Quotes

“Compassion is the chief law of human existence.”
-Fyodor Dostoevsky

“Work like you don’t need the money, love like you’ve never been hurt and dance like no one is watching.”-Randall G. Leighton

“Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.”
-Ashley Smith

“Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today.”
-James Dean

“The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.”
-Flora Whittemore

“I put all my genius into my life; I put only my talent into my works.”
-Oscar Wilde

“Laugh as much as you breathe and love as long as you live.”
-Maria Robinson

Looking back, I have this to regret: that too often when I loved, I did not say so.
-David Grayson

Love does not dominate. It cultivates.
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Love does not die easily. It is a living thing. It thrives in the face of all life’s hazards, save one: neglect.
-James Bryden

Insights About These Poems

These two poems reveal a deeply grounded spirituality that is not found in abstraction, but in presence, love, and conscious living. Rather than seeking heaven or holiness as distant ideals, the poems suggest that sacredness exists in ordinary moments—when attention, gratitude, and empathy are fully engaged.

Today I Say a Prayer for the Gift of Love is an inward-looking invocation, a moral and spiritual reckoning. It recognizes love as both a gift and a responsibility. The speaker asks not only to feel gratitude for a child, but to live more truthfully, courageously, and compassionately. There is a call to self-awareness: to act with foresight, to avoid causing harm, to resist corruption by power or fear, and to grow beyond self-imposed limitations. Love here becomes transformative—it demands integrity, empathy for all life, and a willingness to leave something meaningful behind.

Surely This Must Be Heaven offers the lived fulfillment of that prayer. Heaven is not elsewhere; it is found in sensory and emotional immediacy—sunlight through leaves, a tender embrace, the quiet devotion of a dog, the warmth of a child held close. These moments affirm that love is the miracle itself, not a reward deferred.

Together, the poems suggest that heaven is created through awareness and care. When we slow down, cherish connection, and choose kindness, life reveals its sacred dimension. Love, when fully seen and honored, becomes both the path and the destination.

From the quiet noticing invited by The Ladybug Poem, a thread of awareness weaves its way through A New Day Has Come and the tender offering found in The Gift of Love, where love and hope unfold in simple moments. That thread continues through Inspiring Poems About Daughters and the enduring guidance reflected in Mothers Guide Us Throughout Life, each honoring connection, care, and presence across generations. Together, these reflections lead naturally to The Magic of Being and A Ladybug of Culture, where small moments and gentle observations are gathered into deeper meditations on awareness, perspective, and the meaning we find in simply noticing life as it unfolds.

Additional Poems by Lora Hollings

In the simple delight of The Ladybug Poem, we are reminded that awareness often begins with noticing the smallest details. That same awareness unfolds through the quiet optimism of A New Day Has Come and the gentle reflection found in The Gift of Love, where love reveals itself in everyday moments. It deepens further in Inspiring Poems About Daughters and the lasting wisdom shared in Mothers Guide Us Throughout Life, each emphasizing guidance, presence, and care. Together, these reflections naturally lead to The Magic of Being, where these themes converge into a meditation on living with intention, gratitude, and heart.

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A New Day Has Come

A New Beginning

As we begin each new year, it is a good time to resume goals that have been put on hold and begin again with a renewed sense of commitment and enthusiasm. There is no time like the present. We don’t have an unlimited amount of time to achieve the work that gives us a sense of purpose or meaning in our lives. Ignite that longing or passion in you that you’ve put off for so long whether it be for a cause, going back to school, volunteering to help animals or people that need your help, mentoring or teaching others a skill that they would like to have, or sharing your talents with others to not only enrich their lives but to enrich your life as well. It’s time to renew yourself or begin again. It’s the dawning of a new day. I now have a grandson that has brought much love and joy into my life when I needed it most. The first time, I heard him utter the words, “grandma, I love you,” it was like life was born anew in me and it was like a new beginning in my life.

The following poem is about this new beginning in my life with the birth of my grandson. Reliving many moments in my childhood through him and seeing the wonder in his eyes when he learns something new has been a journey both healing and rewarding.

Innocent One

Oh beautiful child,
little lamb of promise
with your sweet, sad eyes-
reflecting, lush pools of angel softness.
Your melancholy lights burn deep
into this soul
and sing silently to me;
as the gentle humming bird,
undauntedly, unquestioningly
alights in a barren, withered field…
and trustingly sows a tiny seed into the ground
from which new life may spring,
you absolve me of my unworthiness
and still even my skeptic cries.

~ Lora Hollings

A New Day Has Come –
Céline Dion

Insights About This Poem

“Innocent One” is a meditation on renewal born through intergenerational love. The poem frames the birth of a grandchild not simply as a joyful event, but as a quiet spiritual reckoning—one that reopens the speaker’s inner landscape and invites healing where doubt once lived. The child’s “sweet, sad eyes” suggest a depth beyond age, reflecting both vulnerability and ancient wisdom. In witnessing this innocence, the speaker confronts their own feelings of unworthiness and skepticism, which are gently dissolved by the child’s mere presence.

The hummingbird becomes a central symbol of faith and resilience. Its willingness to alight in a “barren, withered field” mirrors the poet’s emotional terrain—places marked by past wounds or exhaustion. Yet, like the bird sowing a seed, the child brings the promise of regeneration without judgment or expectation. This act is not dramatic; it is quiet, instinctual, and deeply trusting.

The poem reveals how new life can restore a sense of meaning that time and hardship may erode. Through the grandchild, the speaker relives childhood wonder while also finding absolution and hope. “Innocent One” ultimately affirms that love—pure, unguarded, and unearned—has the power to transform skepticism into grace and barrenness into possibility.

From the quiet noticing invited by The Ladybug Poem, a thread of awareness weaves its way through A New Day Has Come and the tender offering found in The Gift of Love, where love and hope unfold in simple moments. That thread continues through Inspiring Poems About Daughters and the enduring guidance reflected in Mothers Guide Us Throughout Life, each honoring connection, care, and presence across generations. Together, these reflections lead naturally to The Magic of Being and A Ladybug of Culture, where small moments and gentle observations are gathered into deeper meditations on awareness, perspective, and the meaning we find in simply noticing life as it unfolds.

Additional Poems by Lora Hollings

The sense of wonder first awakened in The Ladybug Poem echoes through the hopeful beginnings of A New Day Has Come and the quiet tenderness of The Gift of Love. These reflections grow richer in Inspiring Poems About Daughters and the heartfelt wisdom shared in Mothers Guide Us Throughout Life, where love, guidance, and presence shape our lives. Together, these pieces gently point toward The Magic of Being, a cornerstone meditation that gathers these moments into a reminder that life’s true magic is found in awareness, connection, and simply being.

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The Magic of Being

Poetry for Children / Children’s Poem

A poem about the miracle of life.

Feel the magic of the moment
up a hill as you race…
the wind blowing against your face
stand on your toes,
reach so high
with your fingertips
touch the sky.
As you lie on the grass,
the shapes in the clouds as you gaze
can simply amaze;
now you see a dragon
riding in a wagon,
or a seal juggling a ball
turning suddenly into a giant… so tall.
On a crisp autumn day
feel the sun as it gently warms
your hands, face, and feet;
above do you see
the golds, reds, and yellows in the trees?
Feel how soft is a puppy’s fur,
listen to a cat’s melodious purr…
look deep and you’ll see the love in your dog’s eyes,
up to see a hawk gliding effortlessly across the sky…
Imagine dancing on a flower,
looking down from the Eiffel Tower
traveling to a star…
from deep in the ocean to the farthest corner of space
the universe is such an extraordinary place!
Walk in a forest,
and marvel at the greatness of a tree;
look up into its canopy
at the light rays streaming
through its leaves.
Listen to a bird as it sings
and help one if it has a broken wing…
be in touch with your heart
for it can lead us to do noble things.
Live by the creed
to help those in need…
as it can indeed transform;
it is like a sort of magic
that no one else can perform
what only you can do;
Your life is important you see-
as your choices effect both you and me,
and all living beings
that unite us in common destiny.
Look up at the night sky,
how bright are the stars
and yet how far,
then make a wish
for it might come true…
but only if you do!
Contemplate the beauty of a sunset-
a musical tune that you can play,
listen to what a poem has to say…
admire the symmetry of a rose,
or the intricate pattern of a snowflake
as it tingles on the tip of your nose.
Never take a minute for granted
for all the wonderful things you can do…
the beauty that is all around,
the splendor that is waiting to be discovered by you!

~ Lora Hollings

My Beautiful Daughter With Our Rescued Puppy

This is Mandy a little puppy that my family adopted from a shelter for Christmas. As my daughter would say, “She was my best friend for 14 yrs. until she died of old age. She taught me all about the magic of loving a pet!”

About Me

Some people say I have brown hair
others say it is blond…
I love to run;
pretend that I can be anyone,
as I daydream under the shade of an apple tree
in the long lazy days of the summer sun.
My passions are music, books, and animals.
Quite a peculiar mixture,
I’m sure you’ll agree
but that’s just fine with me.
I have so many goals,
who knows where I’ll go…
I’d prefer to be a marine biologist
or may be a musical zoologist?
I love good times, family, and friends.
I have my ups and downs…
but mostly I just try to stay cool
with my feet firmly planted on the ground,
and my dreams in stereophonic sound!

“A Heart So Pure” Dedicated to the Life of Ernest

The following poem is dedicated to my wonderful little terrier mix that I adopted from an animal care and control facility. This is Ernest at 16 wks. He is now 5 years old, and will always be my little guardian angel and a source of inspiration for my writing.

A Heart So Pure

My dear pet
your noble face reflects
a trusting soul,
a devout heart-
to live simply to be loved,
and love in return.
There is truth
in your simplicity,
virtue in your
loyalty,
and wisdom in
your humility.
And there is beauty in
a heart so pure.

The Poem’s Insights

The Magic of Being celebrates the quiet but powerful magic of being fully alive and aware. Its central insight is that wonder is not something distant or rare—it is available in ordinary moments when we engage our senses, imagination, and compassion. By inviting the reader to feel wind, warmth, textures, sounds, and colors, the poem reminds us that presence transforms simple experiences into sources of joy and meaning.

Imagination is portrayed as a bridge between the everyday and the extraordinary, allowing clouds, forests, and stars to become gateways to possibility. Alongside wonder, the poem emphasizes responsibility: our capacity to help, to choose kindness, and to act with empathy gives life its deeper purpose. Individual choices ripple outward, connecting us to all living beings in a shared destiny. Ultimately, the poem urges gratitude for time, attention, and agency—encouraging us not to take moments for granted, but to actively discover and create beauty through how we live.

From the quiet noticing invited by The Ladybug Poem, a thread of awareness weaves its way through A New Day Has Come and the tender offering found in The Gift of Love, where love and hope unfold in simple moments. That thread continues through Inspiring Poems About Daughters and the enduring guidance reflected in Mothers Guide Us Throughout Life, each honoring connection, care, and presence across generations. Together, these reflections lead naturally to The Magic of Being and A Ladybug of Culture, where small moments and gentle observations are gathered into deeper meditations on awareness, perspective, and the meaning we find in simply noticing life as it unfolds.

Additional Poems by Lora Hollings

In The Rose That Endures Against All Odds and The Gift of Love, strength is revealed through compassion, patience, and quiet resilience. These reflections invite a deeper awareness of how love allows beauty to endure even in difficult circumstances. That awareness is further expanded in The Magic of Being, where presence and acceptance become essential ways of understanding ourselves and others. Together, these poems gently lead to The Flower Garden, bringing themes of endurance, love, and mindful presence into a broader meditation on inclusion, empathy, and our shared human experience.

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Inspiring Poems About Daughters

Creating A Better World for All Children?

These poems are a tribute to not only my daughter but to the children of the world. I hope that these inspiring poems about daughters will resonate with readers everywhere. They honor children for their pureness of heart, honesty, imagination, and their inquisitive minds which give them such an amazing capacity to learn. We must endeavor to build a more loving and just world where all children can grow up in a safe environment and not be exploited or abused, and have the opportunity to develop their unique gifts and grow up to live good lives.

The Patter of Little Feet

I still hear the patter
of your little feet
running down the hall,

“mama, mama,”
you would call,
arms outstretched for me—

to hold you
as you were frightened
by the loud claps of thunder.

And I would give you
a warm embrace.

“There’s nothing to be afraid of…
this will pass,
and the sun will
soon come out.”

Then I placed you on my lap
in a big rocking chair,
and I would read you a story.

The thunder suddenly becoming much quieter—
only the patter of raindrops
falling on the windows
could now be heard.

“Look, it’s the rain,
and it makes seeds grow.
Remember the little seed
you planted yesterday?”

And then I would take
your little hands
and fold them inside of mine,
showing you how a seed
grows into a lovely flower.

And often times,
when we looked out the window again,
the sun was there,
and a beautiful rainbow
would appear in the sky.

You would take your crayons out
and draw the rainbow and the sun—
then you and I, holding hands,
with such happy, smiling faces.

Now you’ve grown
into a radiant flower,
spreading beauty and joy
wherever you go…

a lovely rainbow of color
follows you in your path
as you share your
grace and gifts with others.

And whenever I hear
the patter of rain
falling against the window,

I hear the patter
of little feet
against the floor…

and hear your sweet voice calling
as if it were only yesterday—

and I still feel
the softness and warmth
of your little body
as I would hold you in my arms…

forever,
my little flower.

~ Lora Hollings

Just Like Thumbelina

I remember the tenderness
of your little hands,

and the scent of your sweet, soft curls
under my chin;

with your little feet folded beneath you on my lap,
I would read your favorite story—
Thumbelina.

After I read the story,
you would use your little hands
to imitate Thumbelina
flying on her swallow;

and seeing others who needed help,
you would signal with your hand
that you were flying down
to rescue them—

a little bird with a broken wing,
a puppy or kitten in trouble,
or a small child who looked lost.

You would say,
“They’re all right now, Mom,
safe from harm.”

And then we would
sing your favorite song,

and you would dance,
twirling round and round,
making graceful gestures with your arms.

*“Thumbelina, Thumbelina, tiny little thing,
Thumbelina dance, Thumbelina sing.
Thumbelina, what’s the difference if you’re very small?
When your heart is full of love,
you’re nine feet tall!”

Then all the little animals who were broken,
and all the ones who were lost and needed help,
would become the names of your
toys in your room,
and I would
help you mend their injuries.

Now I see you as a grown woman,
using your incredible gifts of mind
and loving heart—

rescuing those who are injured or lost,
restoring their hope,
and the possibility to see themselves,
once again,
in the promise of a new day.

~ Lora Hollings

My Snow Angel

When you were a little girl,
I remember dressing you
in a lavender snowsuit,
with a heart on its jacket,
and little red boots
so that you could go outside to play.

Dazzled by this new wintry world,
you would jump in the soft white drifts
and reach for icicles that dangled
from branches of trees—
your eyes full of wonder and delight.

Lying in the snow,
you would make snow angels
as I had taught you,
so many pretty ones…
the little imprint of your body
seemed to be
a perfect size for an angel.

A little trail of footprints
could be seen across the yard
as you loved to hear your boots make
crunching sounds in the snow.

Laughing excitedly,
you would catch snowflakes
falling from the sky
with your red mittens,
and marvel at their delicate form.

How you loved discovering
new things about the world—
as you continue to do today,
often times even forging a new path,
and leaving new footprints
for others to follow.

~ Lora Hollings

Insights About These Poems

The three poems about daughters reflect a profound emotional landscape where love, memory, growth, and transformation intertwine. At their heart is a devotion that moves beyond simple affection into deep spiritual presence and personal witnessing. Each poem explores a different facet of the parent–child relationship, but together they map a journey: from the innocence of early years, through shared imagination and wonder, to the adult fulfillment of gifts once nurtured in childhood.

In Just Like Thumbelina, the daughter’s playful imitation of Thumbelina becomes symbolic of a heart that sees need and responds with love. Her imaginative rescue missions—saving birds, puppies, and lost children—reveal an innate compassion that transcends physical stature. What begins as childlike play becomes metaphor for a life lived with empathy and purpose. The poem’s voice is one of pride and reflection, seeing the seeds of a compassionate adult in the early gestures of a child.

My Snow Angel carries this theme into the sensory world of discovery—snow, cold, footprints, snowflakes—where the child’s simple joy reflects the wonder of engagement with the world. It celebrates curiosity, presence, and the footprints we leave behind—literal and metaphorical—suggesting that wonder can become legacy.

Across both, the bond between parent and child functions as something sacred, a space where the heart learns to see, to marvel, and to love without reservation. In witnessing the daughter’s wonder and compassion, the speaker also rediscovers beauty, hope, and continuity.

Collectively, these poems affirm that daughters are more than cherished beloveds: they are teachers, mirrors of love’s potential, and living embodiments of compassion’s promise. They remind us that the sacred often lives in the humble moments of shared play, imagination, and care.

From the quiet noticing invited by The Ladybug Poem, a thread of awareness weaves its way through A New Day Has Come and the tender offering found in The Gift of Love, where love and hope unfold in simple moments. That thread continues through Inspiring Poems About Daughters and the enduring guidance reflected in Mothers Guide Us Throughout Life, each honoring connection, care, and presence across generations. Together, these reflections lead naturally to The Magic of Being and A Ladybug of Culture, where small moments and gentle observations are gathered into deeper meditations on awareness, perspective, and the meaning we find in simply noticing life as it unfolds.

Additional Poems by Lora Hollings

The quiet wonder of The Ladybug Poem reminds us how meaning often arrives in small, unexpected ways—a theme that continues in A New Day Has Come and the tender reflection of The Gift of Love. These moments of awareness and gratitude deepen through Inspiring Poems About Daughters and the enduring guidance shared in Mothers Guide Us Throughout Life, where love becomes both lesson and legacy. Together, these reflections gently point toward The Magic of Being, a cornerstone piece that gathers these threads into a single truth: life’s deepest beauty is found in presence, connection, and simply being.

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