Write a Prayer-a-Day Project

Today is the day to speak from our hearts, to share our stories, to unload our burdens.  In conversation we begin to recognize the universal human frailties and fears.  We grow in understanding that we are not alone or unique in the challenges we face.  We begin the process of coping with our doubts and uncertainties, and continue the journey towards wholeness.  There is no terminal destination on this path; we will evolve throughout our lifetimes, living into the promise that is Us.  The events and singular circumstances do not define our lives: our stories do.  So let us continue the conversation, speaking deeply, weaving the narratives of our lives.  We are thankful for storytelling and story-receiving.  Blessed Be, and Amen.

A thankful prayer for friends and mentors, in gratitude for their presence in our lives.  While we may daily move through a world full of people, the journey would be very lonely indeed without the immediacy and intimacy of those we love, who love us in return.  It is vital that we affirm our fealty of friendship and honor the bonds we forge.  And it is equally vital that we live into our own roles of compatriot and consort.  The work is fundamental, the rewards are infinite; we will never experience a greater return on investment.  Let us resolve to tell the people who give our lives meaning, who make life worth living, how important they are to us, and how much we value the riches they have given us.  For the infinite wealth of friendship and love we give thanks.  Blessed Be, and Amen.

Today, may we be our own best friend.  We intentionally strive to be thoughtful and supporting to others, while not extending the same courtesy to ourselves.  Yet often we are our own harshest critic.  We bully ourselves, put ourselves down and harshly judge.  It is behavior we find unacceptable when we witness it as outward action, yet only we can call ourselves on it.  We must rally ourselves, reassure ourselves that we are worthy, that we can and will succeed.  It is perhaps one of the most difficult challenges we will face in life, particularly because we face the challenge each and every day.  May we find the grace to care deeply for ourselves, that we may then be whole enough to care deeply for others and for the world.  We are thankful that each day is a new opportunity for healing and growth.  Blessed Be, and Amen.

May we, this day, speak with authentic voice.  May our words be simple, and our message clear.  Language should not be cheap, yet we have have so debased it.  From our advertising to our political rhetoric, we bandy words like chattel.  When we try to share that which is in our hearts, our words become precious commodities.  When we reach out to comfort and console, our speech is infinitely more than mere utterance.  Let us be both mindful and intentional as we move about our days, saying what we mean, and meaning what we say.  For compassionate communication we give thanks.  Blessed Be, and Amen.

The inner lens through which we see ourselves is often cloudy, out of focus, and sometimes just plain broken.  Honest, reliable feedback is hard to come by; even more difficult is the appropriate response and processing of it.  Our internal dialogues often belie our outward appearance.  We are fragile creatures – may we find resilience to not only endure, but to grow and flourish as well.  May we find wise guides to help us along the Way.  And may we be kind to ourselves, own our faults, and celebrate our gifts.  We are grateful for all we offer the world, each and every day.  Blessed Be, and Amen.

In a dangerous world it is tempting to pray for safety. Such prayers may bring comfort, but are also perhaps misplaced. Let us pray that what we do will cause no harm, either directly or indirectly. Let us pray that our actions will tip the scales of justice and compassion. Let us pray for comfort, knowing that loving action brings loving response. Our best hope for safety is to approach each day with tenderness, mindfulness, and generosity of spirit. For the security we can provide for each other, we give thanks. Blessed Be, and Amen.

Rise and Emerge!  The world awaits us, in its wholeness and its brokenness.  We are the fixers, the helpers, the doers and the Be-ers.  Our actions become our stories; our stories become our narrative; and  our narrative become our lives.  It can be no other way.  We are more than a sum of actions and reactions.  We perceive, we engage, we interpret, and we interact.  We are each other’s stories, interconnecting with the lives of so many.  This, too, is part of our narrative, part of who we become.  So get out there, and deepen the context of your narrative!  Our lives will be fuller for it.  We are thankful for telling each other and ourselves into being.  Blessed Be, and Amen.

May we today find our traction in a slippery world.  The surfaces we traverse in our coming and going often appear stable and inviting.  Too often we discover, too late, that our grip is not as sure as we planned.  We slide away from where we intended to be, and find ourselves disoriented in unfamiliar places.  Contact is key as we sojourn across our lives’ roadways.  We will not always be sure of the surface below us.  We must be mindful that the tread of our spirit is good and deep.  We must attend to the steering of our actions, that we don’t suddenly spin out of control.  We must clear the path in front of us through the chores of practice and prayer.  We do this not only for ourselves, but also for the pilots who follow our trail.  We do this together.  The road will clear again; we will cruise and muse.  Today, travel with care.  For the many journeys we will take we give thanks.  Blessed Be and Amen.

Universal Spirit – guide us this day as we seek to realign ourselves to the collective of all souls, the community infinite.  Give us the resources to find strength, mercy and compassion in all our endeavors this day.  May we look to be helpers in whatever small measures we might find, that through our efforts we continue to build the beloved community, ever spiraling outward.  Let us be less quick to judge, and more generous with our love.  May we walk in peace and practice compassion.  May we be guardians of the human spirit, sentinels of the mindful way and exemplars of lives lived in fullness, richness and affirming the fullness of humanity.  For our interconnectedness we are eternally grateful.  Blessed Be, and Amen.

A whole  world of experience is going on right inside our bodies.  Systems function, viruses visit on vacation, antibodies go to work after kissing the family good-bye.  Some days it’s business as usual.  Other days the work is more challenging.  Resources become strained, the well-run machine requires maintenance.  Most of this goes on without our noticing – until something breaks down.  The cycles in our health are as natural as anything else in the Universe.  The difference we can make is to remain mindful, and try to support our inner community in the same way we seek to be good citizens in the outer world.  So let us rest, eat well, exercise often, and try to give ourselves a break during times of even minor sickness.  For the marvelous cosmos just below our skin, we are grateful.  Blessed Be, and Amen.