I found this beautiful prayer at The Longer Look:  Earth teach me stillness as the grasses are stilled with light. Earth teach me suffering as old stones suffer with memory. Earth teach me humility as blossoms are humble with beginning. Earth teach me caring as the mother who secures her young. Earth teach me courage as the tree which stands alone. Earth teach me limitation as the ant which crawls on the ground. Earth teach me freedom as the eagle which soars in the sky. Earth teach me resignation as the leaves which die in the fall. Earth teach me

What will you give for a taste of summer’s last sweetness? This jewelled crown of thorns rings every path and highway; No use pretending you have not heard sweet temptation chatter through the vines- taste    eat Put your hand in the thorns and come out dripping juice, king’s purple spread from hand to tongue. Reach gently, or you will find your thumb full of thorns, and your pail filled with unbearable tartness. Reach gently, but reach. The sweetest berries hide toward the inside, hidden beneath leaves barbed like critics. Balance, if you must, precariously, held by will and longing

The Weighing The heart’s reasons seen clearly, even the hardest will carry its whip-marks and sadness and must be forgiven. As the drought-starved eland forgives the drought-starved lion who finally takes her, enters willingly then the life she cannot refuse, and is lion, is fed, and does not remember the other. So few grains of happiness measured against all the dark and still the scales balance. The world asks of us only the strength we have and we give it. Then it asks more, and we give it. -Jane Hirshfield from October Palace -Christine Valters Paintner @ Abbey of the

Saints Bowing in the Mountains Do you know how beautiful you are? I think not, my dear. For as you talk of God, I see great parades with wildly colorful bands Streaming from your mind and heart, Carrying wonderful and secret messages To every corner of this world. I see saints bowing in the mountains Hundreds of miles away To the wonder of sounds That break into light From your most common words. Speak to me of your mother, Your cousins and your friends. Tell me of squirrels and birds you know. Awaken your legion of nightingales— Let them soar