Category: Prayer

A blessing

Christening

A blessing for my goddaughter

 
I wish for you to be brave and strong
to follow your heart
to live a life that matters
be as big or as small as you want
but never smaller than yourself
be happy—always—learn to dance in the rain
Embrace the thunderstorms and the sunshine
And dance, or sing, or write, or paint, make bread—create! 
Get stuck in, with your whole heart. 
Embrace life. 
Be a princess, be a dragon slayer.
Be a warrior, a healer, a teacher.
Be earth, wind, and water. 
Be humble, be grateful, be amazed, and full of wonder.
Climb mountains, curl up with a book.
Help when help is needed. 
Hug your friends. 
Eat an apple a day.
Carry a tissue and a towel (you never know).
If you are scared, stand tall, face your fear.
Know that you are never alone.
If you are sad, cry. Cry me a river.
And then dry your eyes, blow your nose and move on. 
If you are happy dance! And share the smiles.
If you are angry, know why, and use it to make things better.
But most of all love, love yourself, love life, love every morning 
you are given
And every day, begin the adventure anew. 

Abuse

when the abuser believes to be the victim
when they don’t see the damage they cause
when they cry wolf to distract from grey fur showing through the sheep skin
when everyone but a few understand exactly who the wolf is
when their manipulation freys at the edges
when happiness threatens their reality
when their forgetting isn’t holding in the demons anymore
whereever they turn the demons are everywhere
there is no escape

Angels, maybe?

Have you heard the feather fall?
Have you sensed the light at all?

Have you thought where steps will land?
Have you guessed where you will plant?

Plant your roots deep in the ground?
Listen to the hollow sound!
Clapping wings now turn around.

Have you thought of moving on?
Have you known the light of sun?

Have you embraced the love of lion?
Have you braced your soul with iron?

Iron forged in red hot fire?
Watched love fall through wrought desire?
Fiery swords drawn in pure ire?

Have you learned the gentle art?
Have you listened to your heart?

Have you purged heart, mind, and soul?
Hate will always take its toll.

Sunday Prayer

You are my sanctuary
You are my light

I do behold your love
So bright

I am your light
Held deep within

I hold your blessings
Despite pain and sin

Brought to live
To walk this earth

So small and humble
But so much worth

I cannot grasp thy love for me
But I can try, can try to see

conclusions

on a year well lived
tears cried
fears fought
things learned

people met
people left
people loved
people hugged

puppies cuddled
birds watched
flowers smelled
books read
poems written

people hated
people forgiven
me forgiven
boundaries set

bicycles ridden
mountains climbed
defeat admitted
overcoming planned

dances in kitchen
children’s smiles
football in the park
sticky fingers in my face

letting go of pain
letting go of anger
letting go of fear
embraced darkness until the light came through

defining purpose
for now
loving life
loving love
so much love

and this poem list
runs out
out of space for everything that has no words
but made this year so
dark, colourful, light, loving, difficult, challenging, optimistic, opportune, and utterly, completely, beautifully livable

thank you

The Power of Words

Dancing girl
Please bear with me
Hear my plea
Hear my prayer

This pain is not yours to carry
This hate is not yours to keep
This war is not yours to fight
This anger is not yours to hold on to
Let go of pain, of hate, of war, and anger

You have your place
You have your land
You have your name
You belong
You are home

Earthen boy
Please bear with me
Hear my plea
Hear my prayer

This pain is not yours to carry
This hate is not yours to keep
This war is not yours to fight
This anger is not yours to hold on to
Let go of pain, of hate, of war, and anger

You have your place
You have your land
Your have your name
You belong
You are home

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