I try always to be aware, Lord
of the frailty of the human person,
the naked vulnerability of the human heart,
the raw sensitivity of the human spirit
and my neighbor's susceptibility to any hurt or bruising
my careless words and deeds might occasion...
It's not that the human heart is weak, Lord:
indeed, it's strong, resilient, regenerative and enduring...
And I'm not, I hope, ever purposefully abrasive:
I do my best to make my way through life with kindness...
But there are those times, Lord, too many of those times,
- when my drive for self-fulfillment makes me deaf to others' cries,
- when my self-absorbed distraction makes me blind to others' pain,
- when my hurried, harried pace overruns my fellow travelers,
- when I'm lazily insensitive to all my neighbor's burdens,
- when I'm slow to speak with thoughtful care
to act with true compassion,
- when my clumsiness gets in the way
and ends up hurting others,
- when I move too fast - or not at all -
and others pay the price...
In such times, Lord, I know it's not enough to say,
"I didn't mean to..."
Even if, indeed, I didn't mean to!
Thus my prayer tonight...
Slow me down, Lord, put the brakes on:
help me see with open eyes
the pain, the needs, the plight of those around me
before I crash into their lives...
Broaden my horizons so I see the bigger picture,
the one that includes my neighbor
and puts my neighbor's needs ahead of mine...
Smarten me up, Lord!
Give me the grace to move, well - gracefully -
in, around and through the lives of others,
moving gently so as not to hurt or bruise them...
Remind me often that others' hearts
are as frail, vulnerable and sensitive as my own,
that like me, they too can be easily scarred
by clumsy, careless words and deeds
that no one meant to say or do...
Make of us a gentler people, Lord,
as gentle as you in all the ways
you move in our hearts and lives...
Protect us, Lord while we're awake
and watch over us while we sleep
that awake, we might keep watch with you
and asleep, rest in your peace...
Amen.
Give Us Your Heart by Melanie Tierce
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