I found
words shared
with pure intent
could travel
deep down
into parts of us
in great need
of comfort.
I found just a few,
deeply felt,
could calm the places
where nothing else could
reach.
One Silent Prayer
It became clear
that all that had
gone before
had prepared me
perfectly for each
unfolding moment
as I continued on
a little more naturally —
holding, letting go —
listening
as thought
became one continuous,
ever-deepening silent
prayer.
When There Was Nothing
As I looked back
on the long journey,
the thought came
that if I had to choose
a place to start again,
I would choose
emptiness.
I would go back
to the first time
I was moved
to trust
my own heart —
when there was nothing
left to try
except to drop everything
and find out
what was left.
I would start again
from there.
Empty
I searched
and gathered
and carried
and tried
and learned
many things
in hope
of finding
and sharing
something that would
make some kind of
difference
or bring some kind
of relief.
And I found the deepest
kind of healing came
in setting it all down —
daring to show up
empty.
Just Enough
I found I could
hold and honor
whatever was in front
of me —
pushing on
and remembering
just enough
in each moment.
Letting go of everything
often
allowed for deeper honoring
and natural shifting —
leaving space
for healing thoughts
to form —
leading naturally
to sacred space
and lasting calm,
even in the middle
of great transformation.
From This Place
I began to listen
to the world around me
and to my own heart,
simultaneously.
And though the words
seemed slow
to describe this
natural process,
I found myself
trusting in its power
and moving
a little more gracefully
from this place.
How Could I Not?
I hold this space
in my heart
for healing.
I vow to stand
in my fear —
to follow in the steps
of my own heart —
to love
beyond hope
simply because it is
my nature to love —
to offer my deepest
silent prayer
to us all —
to be this living prayer
beyond words
in this moment
and the next —
to remember
and repeat the words
How could I not?
Amen
Gently Guided
I found safety
in the natural way
I began to explore
myself and the world
around me.
I began to use thought
as a kind of safety net,
an intimate way
of staying grounded
and allowing myself
to be gently guided —
returning safely
again and again
to this quiet space
where I first waited
for my heart to speak
in a way I could
understand.
As a Prayer
I learned to listen
with my heart,
to experience
what was right there
in front of me,
and to trust
the natural response
to arise
as a prayer —
somehow, mysteriously
sinking
down into all the places
I had tried so hard
to reach.
Naturally
There was a kind
of relief
in realizing
I didn’t need to
fit all of the pieces
together.
I didn’t need to
force feeling better.
I didn’t need
to force anything
or be anything
other than what
was there
naturally —
underneath.
Laurie's Notes 