My friend Michel forwarded this prayer to me. I do not know its origin, but if someone does, please tell me. I'd love to credit the author. I'd love to meet the author.
I've edited it a wee bit, for gender-neutrality in naming the Deity. Also, as regular readers (all 12 of you) know, I generally follow the Jewish custom of substituting a hyphen for one letter in the name of the Eternal One. We do this, so the teaching says, in order not to write G-d's name on anything that can be easily destroyed - torn, burned, discarded, or, in the case of a blog, deleted or hacked.
Here 'tis:
G-d in Heaven,
Help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.
Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.
Remind us, Eternal One, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.
Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together.
G-d, please remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to all humanity. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love.
If you send this to people, then you have a chance to touch people.
Working for G-d on earth doesn't pay much,
but the retirement plan is out of this world.
And let those who will, say:
Amen!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
That's really beautiful, DiDC. Thanks for passing it along.
Well spoken!
I'm a non-praying heathen, but I try to live my life as tolerantly as you describe there. I often fail, but yes, I try to see the slow checkout girl as a person, with her own problems, and be patient, to be blocked in traffic by the elderly confused lady, and think Shhh! give her time to collect her thoughts, what harm is it to me to be a few minutes late getting home?
I fail too often, but your post reminds me not to be too quick to judge, to point the finger.
Reminds me to be thankful I'm not that drunk, desperate to get more alcohol to kill the pain, the fear, the depair. Be thankful I've not got that old man's diagnosis.
And remember, always remember, some day, it might be me.
Post a Comment