A LITTLE more of loving, a little less of pain, <br />A little more of sunshine, a little less of rain; <br />A little more of friendship, a little less of strife— <br />These are what we 're wanting to make the perfect life. <br /> <br />A little more of laughter and fewer, fewer sighs, <br />A little more of twinkling, than sorrow in our eyes; <br />A little more forbearance, a little less of hate, <br />A little more of patience, less quarreling with Fate. <br /> <br />A little more of kindness, a little less severe, <br />A little more of sweetness, a little less austere, <br />A little more of honor and less of business greed, <br />See, brother, see how little it is we really need! <br /> <br />A little more of silence and less of hasty speech, <br />A little more of practice and less desire to preach; <br />A little more of smiling, with fewer drooping chins, <br />A little more of virtues, with fewer petty sins. <br /> <br />A little more of praising, a little less of blame, <br />More thought for all our loved ones and less for future fame; <br />A little more of doing than talking of the deed, <br />See, brother, see how little it is we really need.<br /><br />Edgar Albert Guest<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/our-little-needs/
