Quiet Reflections and Prayers
Again and again
I found my way back to my heart,
it was a relief
to be free of all that had
seemed like too much.
I came to recognize the feeling
of too much
as a sign I had attached
somewhere other than my heart.
Again and again,
I found my way to
the present moment
and gently reconnected
with my heart —
refocusing on each moment
as it unfolded —
regaining my trust in life
a little at a time.
It took a little bit of courage
allowing softer thoughts to form —
landing on a surprisingly comforting
background of emptiness —
flowing effortlessly,
drifting a little more deeply
into my deepest heart.
Maybe it was the gentle rhythm
I had allowed myself to feel
once again,
for just a moment,
or a word formed of this
same emptiness
allowed to echo even more —
somehow, gently,
against all odds,
from this deeper space
within.
It took a little practice
learning how to soothe
all that was within.
It took a huge dose
of gentleness
to become willing to stop
and allow my heart to be
the safe place I had been
trying to find for so long.
There were times
when the most pressing work
to be done
was to retrace my steps,
to return to
a place of reprieve —
to soothe
my own heart
a little more.
I am healer.
When times get hard,
I stand firm.
With gentleness
and love,
I reclaim each part
of me.
When the outer world
becomes noisy
and my inner pain
is too much,
I begin by stopping
and find relief
in walking through.
— What’s Right Here
Laurie's Notes 