Quiet Reflections and Prayers
Peace, I found,
wasn’t at the end
of a neatly sorted
journey,
but in each moment
I dared to look life
straight in the eye
and see through
what appeared on the surface.
After a while,
the tender beauty
in being able to hold
and let go of
whatever appeared
with grace and honor
and space
became the essence
of every experience.
Just beneath the surface
of what could
be seen,
I caught a glimpse
of a little magic.
And it wasn’t clear
at first
if what I saw
was there at all
or if it was
reflected somehow
from some magical,
lost place —
hidden somewhere
in me.
— Laurie, Healer of My Own Heart
If I could reach back
to the me I was,
I would send
only gentle whispers.
I would send
the kind of messages
that only she
could understand,
the subtle kind
that have no words
and leave no trace
of doubt
that we are
always okay
in the deepest way.
I vowed to stand
right where I was —
to loosen my grip
on life
just a little —
to let go of the pieces
and trust
what came back.
I dared to stop,
to be still in my heart
just long enough
for words to form
to comfort
all that was unsettled
in me.
And then I found
the comfort came
before the words
in my willingness to be
with all that is here —
in the presence of
my own soul.
I found my focus
within my heart.
And to my surprise,
it seemed more efficient
to keep it there
and allow what was
outside to shift.
Or perhaps it was
that space within my heart
that grew.
Journeys can
sometimes be challenging.
May we find courage
to trust
in their unfolding
and a little comfort
and beauty
along the way.
Amen
I longed to know
what was in that
empty space
deep within my heart,
the one I couldn’t
seem to fill
and nothing could ever
really reach.
And so I set down
all of the tools
I had gathered.
And I took the leap.
Maybe it was the fatigue
of having tried
and exhausted
every other option.
Maybe it was
just time.
There was a quiet honoring
that happened
quite naturally.
And I didn’t want
to sort too much
or add too many words
to spoil the natural,
untamed space
in my heart.
I held on
to my heart
and to the silent knowing
that couldn’t be
expressed.
And there was
great beauty
in being enough.
Laurie's Notes 