I pray

I Pray

Oh God,

I pray for eyes

that can still see

the beauty of this world,

ears that listen

to the quiet voice of nature,

and a mind

that learns to do hard things.

Please bless me with a destiny

that demands my effort,

a path that requires me

to work relentlessly.

When I have nothing,

please be my only hope.

Give me a heart

that can love all beings,

a heart of a poet

that does not become cold

because the world has been unkind.

Give me a memory that holds onto gratitude,

to honor the hands that lifted me

when I could not lift myself.

Let me not be so blinded by those who left

that I forget the ones who stayed.

Give me the courage

to let go of those

who want to let go of me.

Give me a gate for my empathy,

to pour my water only on roots that wish to grow,

and the peace to leave the barren soil behind.

Give me the wisdom

to know what I can control

and the strength

to release what I cannot.

Quiet the endless storms of my overthinking,

and teach me to trust the quiet timing of my life.

Give me the grace to sit in solitude,

to find comfort in my own company

when the world grows too loud.

Let me run not to escape my shadows,

but to finally arrive at myself.

Give me eyes

that never look at a woman through lust,

but see the human being

before they see the beauty.

Give me the power

to govern my own mind,

to hold my heart

without letting it control me.

Give me the eyes

to see innocence in every being,

and the humility

to remember that everyone

is carrying something I cannot see.

Give me the spirit of a warrior,

the body of an athlete,

the mind of a philosopher,

and the heart

to remain human

through all of it.

When life becomes difficult,

do not make my path easier.

Make me stronger

for the road ahead.

And when my time comes,

let me look back at this life

and know

I saw it.

I felt it.

I loved it.

I lived it.