In This Moment and the Next

Sometimes prayers

become wordless —

when there are

a million words

in the heart,

but not one

to match

the rawness

of emotion felt.

And so I offer

my deepest silent

prayer

to the place

of peace

in us all

in this moment

and the next.

And I honor

our steps

as we find our way.

— Laurie, What Now

Unsorted

I found life wasn’t

as black and white

as I had once thought.

I found I was made up

of many parts.

And so was

everyone else.

I found that

not only was I not

any one part,

my parts contained

their own potentials.

There were pieces

of denial

to be released.

There were parts

I judged

and pushed against

and later embraced.

And there was

the day I realized

I was more

than the many parts

of the whole.

And I became

determined to remain

unsorted.

When There Seemed to be None

I found life to be

more complex

than the old

boxed-in thought

that had made sense

for a while.

It wasn’t about

being on the right

team

or choosing

one clear path

over another.

It was about

becoming honest

with myself

and seeing parts of me

in others,

even the most difficult

to face

or heal.

It was about

refusing to stay

stuck in old patterns

and daring to find

creative solutions

when there seemed to be

none.

All of It

I gathered all

parts of me,

even those

most difficult

to hold.

And I held all

of me —

all of them.

It didn’t matter

how long it took

or that there was,

in fact,

no guarantee

that my holding

would make any

difference at all.

And I honored all

that had led me

to that point —

all of it —

because I had

made it to my

deepest heart.

And I set

it all

down.

Transformed

I honor each

heart that has

shown up

to find its own

true voice

at a time

when so much

is being

transformed.

I honor the sacred

journey each one

must travel

alone

in order

to come together

in a new way.

I honor those

who hold a space

for me

to sort through

all that is in need

of sorting.

I honor

this journey

in my own heart.

And I hold this space

for those

just beginning.

Amen

My Own True Voice

I began to listen

with my heart

to words

reflecting my own

inner knowing.

There was a calling forth

and allowing of

my own true voice

to flow out

though my own

unique experiences

and join

with others

in such a way

as to form

a symphony

of clear sound

and the accompanying

pauses.

I began to

see my own small part

and those around me

as connected

and important —

leading us safely

through all that was

unclear.