“All that separates, whether of race, class, creed, or sex, is inhuman, and must be overcome.”

Kate Sheppard, suffragette (1847 – 1934), born on this day

“I dwell in the shelter of the Most High.
and abide in the shadow of the Holy One.
I say, “You are my refuge and stronghold,
my God in whom I put my trust.
You will deliver me from the snare of the hunter
and from all manner of evils.
You will cover me with your pinions
and hide me in the shadow of your wings.
I need not be afraid of any terror of the night,
or danger of the day.
I will be strong in the face of difficulty
and face the trials of my life with calm assurance.
I need not fear illness or injury,
people who roar like lions or hiss like snakes,
You will tread on my fears.

I hear you whisper, “I am bound to you in love,
therefore I will help you in times of trouble.
I am with you when you call for me.
I will dwell in your heart through the years of your life—and forever.”

Psalm 91 Trouble by Christine Robinson

International Women’s Day

“a woman can’t survive
by her own breath
alone
she must know
the voices of mountains
she must recognize
the foreverness of blue sky
she must flow
with the elusive
bodies
of night winds
who will take her
into herself
look at me
i am not a separate woman
i am a continuance
of blue sky
i am the throat
of the mountains
a night wind
who burns
with every breath
she takes”

From Fire by Joy Harjo

“Self-respect is the cornerstone of all virtue.”

John Herschel (1792 – 1871), polymath, born on this day

“To those who are wise, nothing more resembles that merciful spring whence all derive than every beauty to be found here.”

Michelangelo (1475 – 1564), born on this day

Ash Wednesday

“Be with us, O God, when we think of the wrongs we have done to other people; lest, hating ourselves for our evil-doing, we turn our hatred outward on to them. Help us to forgive ourselves, acknowledging that we are no better than we are; and then help us to believe that we can be better.”

A. Powell Davies (1902 – 1957), Unitarian minister, quoted in Fragments of Holiness for Daily Reflection

“The many branches of science that observe the physical world and its relationship to the cosmos are profoundly privileged in that they bring their exponents into a close relationship with the teeming varieties of life… many scientists have discovered that the patterns revealed within the universe show an intelligent consistency and order that is both beautiful and implicit.

We do not have to be forever open to unseen reality or credulous of every wonder to appreciate the implicit order of the greater universe. This is revealed every day through our ordinary, physical senses. When we keep the vision of nature’s revelation before our eyes and imaginations, each moment becomes loaded with eternal potential. To be confederate with eternity, we need the practice of life that gives us a special cynosure through which to view the whole universe in every precious instant.”

From The Celtic Spirit: Daily Meditations for the Turning Year by Caitlin Matthews

World Wildlife Day

“Surely we do not want to live in a world without the great apes, our closest living relatives in the animal kingdom? A world where we can no longer marvel at the magnificent flight of bald eagles or hear the howl of wolves under the moon? A world not enhanced by the sight of a grizzly bear and her cubs hunting for berries in the wilderness? What would our grandchildren think if these magical images were only to be found in books?”

Jane Goodall

“All you need to do is focus your attention on your in-breath and out-breath, recognize it, and smile to it. Bring aware that you’re breathing in means you’re really there. Your presence is a wonder and a miracle. Breathing like that, you bring your mind back to your body and become truly presence in the now. Treasuring that moment, your dwell in peace and freedom. Each breath is a miracle. Each breath has the power to nourish and to heal.”

From Peace Is This Moment by Thich Nhat Hanh

Zero Discrimination Day

“The human spirit is resilient and that truth—no matter how long you abuse it and how long you try to crush it—will, as Dr. King would say, rise up again, and in the final analysis will prevail. From the point of view of the poor, the hungry, the disenfranchised, the wretched of the Earth … there will never be peace until their condition has been alleviated and until their humanity is in full bloom.”

Harry Belafonte (1927 – 2023), musician and civil rights activist, born on this day