Walk with the wind, brothers and sisters,
And let the spirit of peace and the power of everlasting love be your guide.
Those were the final words in a parting essay by American civil rights leader John Lewis. It was published in the New York Times after his death. When I read Lewis’ words my first thought was what a beautiful benediction they were. Most worship services end with a benediction. It is a kind of blessing spoken before people disperse to go their own ways.
Walk with the wind, brothers and sisters,
And let the spirit of peace and the power of everlasting love be your guide.
John Lewis’ inspiring benediction with its encouragement to ‘walk with the wind’ got me looking for other blessings that mentioned the wind. I’ve taken the liberty of slightly adapting them since none were attributed to a specific person.
The road we often walked along the ocean in Portugal
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of Her hand.
Bamboo forest in Costa Rica that sang when the wind blew through it
May the wind refresh your spirit
And make it wide awake
So that you might pass on joy and hope
To everyone you meet.
Rainbow near Vik Iceland
May the warm winds of heaven blow softly upon you.
May your moccasins make swift tracks in the snow
And may a rainbow always touch your shoulder.
Raindrops on a flower in the English Gardens Winnipeg
May the strength of the wind bless you,
Carrying the rain to wash your spirit clean
And leave it sparkling in the sunlight.
Other posts………..
Musical Walk in a Bamboo Forest
What Next? 