Life is short, and we do not have too much time to gladden the hearts of those who travel the way with us
January 02, 2018
I was discussing the "life is short" blessing, used by Father Larry Hunter of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Orinda several years ago. All the online versions just seemed slightly off. Then with the help of the Wayback Machine (the Internet Archive), we found his exact wording, which, we agreed, was the best. Typepad is very well indexed by Google, so I hope that the next time someone is looking for this prayer, then can find this first-rate version.
Life is short,
and we do not have too much time to gladden the hearts of those who travel the way with us;
So be swift to love,
and make haste to be kind,
And may the Divine Mystery Who is beyond our ability to know
but Who made us, and Who loves us, and Who travels with us,
Bless us and keep us in peace. Amen.
A benediction by Dr. Edmund Jones adapted from words by philosopher and writer Henri Frederic Amiel, 1821-1887