Prompted -- A 2022 New Year's Prayer

Prompted

I want to be at ease with how it is
I want faith in my ability to love it all
to embrace, to support and to champion my sons,
my family, friends, community, country, planet.
And self.

I want to radiate compassion and beauty,
calm and gentle strength.
I want to dance with abandon
and laugh whole heartedly.
I want to be free of self demanding
and demands of others
(spoken and unspoken)
I want to truly be the peace

And to not fear, At All.

And, how can I serve?
“Be ignited or be gone” said Mary Oliver.

My commitment to the planet is to live simply and mindfully,
to take no more than I need for body, mind and Love
and to share what I can where it can do good.
To be informed
and find a way to engage peacefully and effectively
in the ensuring and enhancing of democracy.

What I give, I give
and the miracle is
that it’s enough

I am as I am
and so are my sons as they are
and so are all who I know
and not know
as they are

We give what we give
and miraculously
that is enough.

We carry our sorrows and our joys
each (seemingly) separately
and all shouldering it together,
knowing or not knowing.

On this earth is our pilgrimage.
This life, my life,
Your life, all lives
is enough,
A marvel
of courage
and un-imaginable vulnerability.

Who I already am
but not yet know
is my soul speaking out loud
of all that moves my heart,
the vastness of breath

And what my pen can express
of hope and of despair
of resistance and of surrender
of pride and humility
of victory and defeat.
Of life wholly felt
in all its horror
and glory.

And Grace.

To become my soul speaking out loud
(The pen is mightier than the sword)

To make of myself a light.