May you be blessed

with love and laughter,
warmth in your heart and home.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all your days be blessed
with the existence of someone
who cares for you,
accepts you
and your flaws,
will watch over you,
protect you, care for you...
throughout eternity.

"As a lotus flower is born in water,
grows in water and rises out of water
to stand above it unsoiled,
so I, born in the world,
raised in the world
having overcome the world,
live unsoiled by the world
~ Buddha"

The lotus flower is one of the most ancient
and deepest symbols of our planet.
The lotus flower grows in muddy water
and rises above the surface
to bloom with remarkable beauty.
At night the flower closes
and sinks underwater,
at dawn it rises and opens again.
Untouched by the impurity,
lotus symbolizes the purity
of heart and mind.
The lotus flower
represents represents strength,
good luck,
long life as well
as honor and respect
and has become a symbol
for awakening
to the spiritual reality of life.