Into Many Coming Years

At night, from the vantage point of a dark stretch of beach, there are three light sources visible: On the left there is a lighthouse, shining bright streams of light in several directions; on the right, the moon glows behind a light cloud cover; and in the middle, we see fainter light from several houses farther down the coast. The foam from the sea is also visible, and shows the shoreline stretching in a straight line from the lower right of the photo to the houses in the middle of the photo.

We cannot know what all the year may bring,
and would we heed the prophecy if we could?
Bright flame, awake! Send forth your shining light
beyond this year into the many coming—
Show us the ways of love and help and care,
of justice, mercy, and equality—
Illuminate unto the generations—
Show to the world a beacon of safe harbor—
Help us to find the kindred warmth within us
and among us to help make it so.