I was feeling quite self absorbed
As I slid into the pool for my early morning Cardio class,
Papers to read, gifts to make, things to buy,
Squabbles to squelch, tensions to defuse, decisions to make,
"Exercise early to get it done," I thought to myself.
December is always a busy month where we are encouraged
To look beyond ourselves and to put others first,
To give gifts of time and service to others,
For the lucky ones,
It is filled with family, friends, and goodies,
For the lucky ones,
It is filled with parties, gatherings and stress!
"I'm a bit distracted this morning and may not have my A game,"
The leader shared softly,
"my young friend is facing a long surgery in the city today."
My clearly first world problems melted.
My thoughts and prayers shifted
To where they should have been all along.
So this post is a prayer for that young man
And the huge mountain he and his loved ones face
Along with all those facing uphill
Battles with illness, stress, sadness
All those alone or lonely.
This slice is a prayer.
5 comments:
I understand the feeling completely. I am worried about getting Christmas cards in the mail while others are suffering a loss greater than I can even imagine; a mother, principal, friend was killed in a car wreck last week. This time of year is hard. I am filled with gratitude and with empathy. A slice of prayer for everyone who is facing the tough stuff.
A prayer slice... I love that.
December is a little less stressful for me with Chanukah being a minor holiday. But we also have our wedding anniversary and Isabelle's birthday coming up, which makes it busy. There's never enough time, is there? But taking a breath, taking time to relax, and taking time to pray are all wonderful things to do to slow down.
A slice of prayer - beautiful. Thank you for sharing this mindset shift/epiphany. You are so right.
Thank you for the reminder in the midst of holiday chaos to pause and say a prayer. Beautiful post.
Dear, Dr. Ferreri:
I offer the sincerest thanks for your poem in its elegance, eloquence and poignant simplicity. I've been processing things differently over the last few days, and while it is prolific in its entirety, what resonates with me most, is the very last line:
"...all those alone or lonely..."
With a recent loss in my family, I keep thinking about those who don't have family of their own to be close to. My heart aches for those who may have to spend time alone during the holidays while seeing so many people around them celebrating.
It compels me to be a lot kinder, more compassionate and more caring to those who long for the warmth that we so often take for granted. Thank you for this prayer and such beautiful reminders.
Post a Comment