Here’s a toast
to life and living
to love and laughter
to seeing, to hearing
to giving and receiving
Lift a glass
to family and friends
to acceptance and belonging
to gifts, to talents
to harmony and understanding
Cheers! and Hear, Hear!
for joy and happiness
for peace and inspiration
for creativity, for passion
for positivity and optimism
This toast we raise
while counting out the frailties of our years
while listening to the music of the spheres
while measuring the value of our tears
while facing down the spectres of our fears
Here’s to us, to all of us,
the scattered and the gathered
family of creation
and to the persistent checkers
of our past, present, and future
