Most Blest Is He

Most blest is he who in the morning time     Sets forth upon his journey with no staff     Shaped by another for his use.    Who sees     The imminent necessity for toil,     And with each morning wakens to the thought     Of tasks that wait his doing.    Never yet     Has unearned leisure and the gift of gold     Bestowed such benefits upon the young     As need and loneliness; and when life adds     The burden of a duty, difficult,     And hard to carry, then rejoice, O soul!     And know thyself one chosen for high things.     Behind thee walk the Helpers.    Yet lead on!     They only help the lifters, and they give     But unto those who also freely give.     Not till thy will, thy courage, and thy strength     Have done their utmost, and thy love has flowed     In pity and compassion, out to all     (The worthless, the ungrateful, and the weak,     As well as to the worthy and the strong)     Canst thou receive invisible support.     Do first thy part, and all of it, before     Asking the helpers to do aught for thee.     For this alone the Universe exists,     That man may find himself is Destiny.