We gather together this morning
tenderly—like drops of dew on a leaf of grass
hopefully—like gathered raindrops in a cloud
gleefully—like water rushing in a stream to the sea
deeply—like groundwater pulled up from a well

We gather from every direction,
for another year of growth and depth,
another year of companionship and hope,
another year of learning to love this world.

We gather like the water that joins us across all of creation,
the water that connects us within and without:
merging and flowing across the entire world.