BY HELEN STEINER RICE

PEOPLE NEED PEOPLE 

AND FRIENDS NEED FRIENDS,

AND WE ALL NEED LOVE,

 FOR A FULL LIFE DEPENDS

NOT ON VAST RICHES

OR GREAT ACCLAIM,

NOT ON SUCCESS OR WORLDY FAME

BUT ON JUST KNOWING

THAT SOMEONE CARES

AND HOLDS US CLOSE

IN THEIR THOUGTS AND PRAYERS,

FOR ONLY THE KNOWLEDGE

THAT WE’RE UNDERSTOOD

MAKES EVERYDAY LIVING

FEEL WONDERFULLY GOOD.

AND WE ROB OURSELVES

OF LIFE’S GREATEST NEED

WHEN WE LOCK UP OUR HEARTS

AND FAIL TO HEED

THE OUTSTRETCHED HAND

REACHING TO FIND

A KINDRED SPIRIT

WHOSE HEART AND MIND

ARE LONELY AND LONGING

TO SOMEHOW SHARE

OUR JOYS AND SORROWS

AND TO MAKE US AWARE

THAT LIFE’S COMPLETENESS

AND RICHNESS DEPEND

ON THE THING’S WE SHARE

WITH OUR LOVED ONES AND