And so we become, ourselves.

Warm, safe, flowing in the waters of creation, we begin.
Swimming in the waters of our mother's womb, 
we breathe as she breathes, we laugh as she laughs, we cry as she cries. 

Slowly we discover, fingers, toes, a nose, ears, 
And within a gentle rhythm arises, in our growing hearts, 
but still connected, by the cord of our existence, 
the fluid of moving from mother to child. 

Effortlessly we rise when she rises, we move as she moves, 
we feel stress as she feels stress, we relax as she relaxes, 
and we begin to know something of love.

Soft whispers in the middle of the night, 
words spoken, not yet known as words, 
gentleness and hope and longing. 

When the light from outside finally comes,
and our breathing becomes our own, 
our heartbeat becomes our own, 
and we see the face of our mother, of our father, 
for the first time, and we are held for the first time, as our separate self...

We hear the words, not yet knowing what they mean, 
as a tear falls and touches our skin, 

"May our child always know love, 
learn to accept love and to give love, 
with a heart made great and caring for all others. 
May our child suffer little, and yet when suffering does come, 
May our child know the compassion and caring of others, 
and embrace the connection we share."

We come and we see for the first time, 
the smile on the face of our mother, 
her face worn and tired from the work of love, 
and we know
love and compassion will follow us always, 
in every dark corner of our lives, 
light and love is part of who we are. 

We breathe. We pause, and we listen, within. 

Our heart beats. We give thanks for all beating hearts. 
Within us lives unlimited possibility, the light and hope of all creation. 
Thank you our mother. Thank you our father. 
​And so we become, ourselves. 

My dad, John White, wrote the above words to be read during savasana at a yoga practice led in celebration of my sixteenth birthday.  I have them framed now in my room.  As I read them I am reminded of the beautiful gift of our life - in moments where awareness was already on that gratitude: I experience it deeper, in the moments where I felt down, I am brought home to a place of peace and love. 
Thank you Dad for your words, your love, for raising me then, now and always - your unconditional love grounding and guiding. 
Thank you Mom for carrying me, for giving me complete life within and separate of you, for showing me the depth of unconditional love then, now and always. 
Thank you Mother Earth for giving my soul a home to reside on during this chapter of its journey. Thank you. Sat Nam.