Write a Prayer-a-Day Project

May this day be blessed with spontaneity and surprise. May the wonder of the world take us aback, give us a start, and shake us from our routines. May the cause of this jolt be gentle and delightful; but if it is not, may we find the resources to accept what we find, learn from it, and move on. May our lives continue to unfold in new learnings, new experiences, and new wisdom. And may the day never come when we would turn our back on what the universe has to offer, feeling we are too full, done with discovery. Eyes and heart wide open, we greet the new day, anxious to explore, happy to Be. For wonderousness everywhere, we give thanks. Blessed Be, and Amen.

Life is a voyage – we are captains of ships that sail the infinite sea of the cosmos and experience. We are explorers, moving ever into uncharted waters. It is simultaneously thrilling and terrifying. Will we discover the untold riches of a foreign and exotic land? Or will our ships be cast upon the rocks, smashing and dissolving, sending us to a watery grave? Do we care pestilence with us? Or will we expose ourselves to unknown disease? Will the natives be friendly? There is nothing for it but to press on, compassion as our compass, curiosity as our map. On and on, into the great unknown, sailing ever toward that undiscovered continent, the ultimate mystery, from which no navigator seems to return. Muster your fortitude, my fellow explorers. Once more into the breach. For our nautical sensibilities and our wanderlust for adventure we are ever grateful. Blessed Be, and Amen.

May we, this day, find our gratitude for the diversity we encounter everywhere. A change in the weather; a new neighbor; a fresh project; a different view. Even when we have an opposing opinion or challenged emotion, the differences we find daily serve to keep us engaged, provoking thought, and encouraging action. And if there is anything that unites us all, it is our diversity: we are all unique and unrepeatable manifestations of God. So viva la difference! For contrasts both subtle and great, we give thanks. Blessed Be, and Amen.

Laughter is the song of a joyful heart! It is the music of mirth, and it is deep medicine. We often take ourselves too seriously, give too much weight to our daily challenges. It is easy to lose sight of the absurdity that we even exist at all. It may be considered frivolous by some to make merry; the enlightened soul pays no heed – it frolics and jests, knowing that in so doing, it is creating a healing balm for the world. “The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.” For antics and merry mayhem we laugh with joyful thanks. Blessed Be, and Amen.

A prayer for patience, temperance, and thoughtful action: In this world of interconnected relationships, it is common to misinterpret signals, misunderstand communications, and miss entirely the meaning behind the words. May we strive to communicate more clearly. May we work to ground our actions in thoughtful consideration. May we take the moment necessary to breathe, to center, and to always act appropriately. And because we will fail in this, may we practice the virtue of reconciliation, recognizing we all face challenges, both external and internal. For the affirmation of the inherent worth and dignity of every person, including ourselves, we are grateful. Blessed Be, and Amen.

Equality is in the air this day! Equal day, equal night. Yin and Yang. This balance will last a mere 24 hours as the cycle of life continues. We live on a continuum, neither here nor there, but in both and in neither. It is the paradox of Be-ing. Light and dark, energy and matter. It is the universe’s subtle reminder for us to withhold judgement, to temper criticism. Today, let us dance! Let us be balance for a moment, then somersault into our unbalance, with delight and abandon. For Spring, both the season as well as in our step, we rejoice and give thanks. Blessed Be, and Amen.

Life is full of hopes and dreams. We may call ourselves blessed when they come to pass. What do we call it when they don’t? It is likely more common that our desires do not come to fruition – why then should we consider them cursed? Our disappointments often have built in lessons and wisdom. We are all, then, learned and wise! We need not think of our unfulfilled wishes as blessings, but neither should we feel ourselves misused. We are entitled to nothing more than a chance to live; let us make the most of that promise, each and every day. May we be blessed and cursed in equal measure, the yin and the yang, the harmonious balance in all. For all we have been given, which is infinite, we give thanks. Blessed Be, and Amen.

May today be a learning day. May we discover new skills, or perhaps a new passion. May we grow deeper in abilities we already have. May gain a deeper appreciation of the world around us, or the condition of another person. Life is a classroom, our studies never ending. Even as we approach our graduation, there is much to understand. Learning to let go, learning to accept, and learning to be at peace. Let us be mindful of our dual roles of pupil and teacher, and may we find their harmonious balance. For wonderment and discovery we give thanks, and an exceptional grade. Blessed Be, and Amen.

We are born into being and are instantly part of a family. For most we receive what we need from our families, but not always. As we grow, we begin to find we have another, chosen family. People around us, who recognize who we are, with all our imperfections and our shortcomings. They love us in spite of ourselves. We share wine and wisdom, tears and triumphs. We work together, play together, suffer together, and pray together. May we be blessed with an abundance of love and support, from our families of origin, and from our families of choice. May we, in turn, be the rock in another’s life, steadfast, constant, strong and yielding. And may we always recognize that we are all kin, all of the same tribe: our surname is Humanity. For all our brothers and sisters we rejoice! Blessed Be, and Amen.

Change is the Rule of the Universe. It is all around us, and it is relentless. It is the course of things. We have a unique relationship with change: we fear it, we try to postpone it, you struggle against it, and in spite of our best efforts and expended energy, it prevails nevertheless. Often, we, singularly and collectively, are the very agents of Change. Our actions begin a cosmic domino effect, and we’re surprised when we’re suddenly knocked from our upright position. May we be seek to be more pliable in our stance, and be the Change we’d like to see in the world, rather than its victim. For vision, action, and Change, we give thanks. Blessed Be, and Amen.