In her role as outreach coordinator, Nassira has spent countless hours listening, supporting, and walking alongside the guests, volunteers, and staff who make up the Heart, Love & Soul community. Inspired by their strength and spirit, she wrote Harbor of Souls, a tribute to the quiet heroism that defines this place. With grace and gratitude, her poem reflects the heart of our work: to be a source of hope, dignity, and love. We are honored to share her words below.
Harbor of Souls
by Nassira
You are the keeper of the weary flame,
The hand that lifts the Fallen from the dust.
In your eyes, the forgotten see themselves,
Not as they are, but as they long to be.
For what is HL&S but the heart made wide,
A haven for those who have wandered long
In the wilderness of their own despair?
And what is your labor but sacred love,
Woven with quiet grace into each act?
When the world turns its back, you remain,
A steadfast tree in the storm’s cruel winds,
Offering shade to the lost traveler,
Offering bread to the hungry soul.
Do not measure your work in the hours of toil,
Nor in the weight of your burdens,
Measure it in the light that fills the dark,
And the peace that blooms in a troubled heart.
For as you gather them into your care,
So too do they heal the hidden wounds within you.
And in their rise, you too are lifted.
For you are the shelter, and they, the pilgrims seeking it.
Together, you journey toward the dawn, where all who have known night,
Shall find a new beginning.
Media Contact Information
Michael Jones
Marketing and Communications Manager
Phone: 716-282-5687 Ext. 111
Email: m.jones@heartloveandsoul.org