Listen Cara, listen to the voices;
listen to the sounds around you.
Listen before you make your own choices;
listen well, some of us never do.
Watch Cara, watch for the clues out there,
clues that will guide you through life.
Sometimes we never see but only stare
with the result that confusion is rife.
Feel Cara, feel for your emotions as they grow and mature;
understand them and grant them respect.
Does your life really have a future
without their richness and effect?
Consider Cara, consider the power of your thought,
but clothe it in the colours of your soul
since reason alone counts for nought.
Strike the right balance, and make that your goal.
Know yourself Cara; put this at the top of your list.
Understand why you do what you do,
for then, not a chance will be missed
and you will gain peace of mind known only to few.
For Cara Juliet Shadforth’s Christening, 10th August 2003