I know as my life grows older,
And mine eyes have clearer sight,
That under each rank Wrong somewhere
There lies the root of Right;
That each sorrow has its purpose,
By the sorrowing oft unguessed;
But as sure as the sun brings morning,
Whatever is, is best.
I know that each sinful action,
As sure as the night brings shade,
Is somewhere, sometime punished,
Tho' the hour be long delayed.
I know the soul is aided
Sometimes by the heart's unrest
And to grow means often to suffer;
But whatever is, is best.
I know there are no errors,
In the great Eternal plan,
And all things work together
For the final good of man.
And I know when my soul speeds onward,
In its grand Eternal quest,
I shall say as I look back earthward,
Whatever is, is best.
-- Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Of related interest:
[Editor's Note: We are not positive about the authorship of this poem; a book from 1905 in which it is reproduced gives the author as "Anonymous."]

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