New Year's Blessing

Karen Maezen Miller

I wish you less of what you can live without

and more of what you’ve always wanted.

Less anger, and less quickness to anger.

Less greed, and more open-mindedness.

Less judgment, doubt and cynicism,

and less of the pain and confusion they create.

Less hurry.

Less fear.

More of the compassionate love that can only arise in the absence of fear.

I would wish you more time, but you already have it.

It only takes a moment to transform your life.

A moment of undefiled, nonjudgmental awareness.

A moment of practice, and everything everywhere is new again.

Only you can make it so,

but I will wish it just the same:

your best new year.