Who does not marvel at the spider’s creative saliva,

the ant’s perfection,

the butterfly’s unsettled elegance,

that the running blackberry would adorn the parlors of heaven?

You Birds of the Air,
Hawk, Sparrow, and laughing Jay
You embody freedom itself,
delight us with your song, astound us with feats of migration
Grant us your perspective,
for too often our horizon is limited
and we are blind to the full results of our actions.

In days of old, animals believed

humans to likewise have a soul

Children mostly still think this way today.

When all is quiet and we are small and the night is dark

Compassion is not a hothouse flower.

Compassion needs weather:

May you embrace your growing with compassion.

May courage be yours as you answer your heart’s

calling.

Gather up whatever is 
glittering in the gutter,
whatever has tumbled 
in the waves or fallen 
in flames out of the sky

There was a time when my aggravation with the system focused on Caspar Weinberger, secretary of defense.

Dear God,

Please forgive me for how I acted when that Amazon truck was blocking my driveway the other day.

Come into this moment

as if stepping into a garden at dawn,

quiet, tender, open to what may grow.

Be what they do not want:
Be thoughtful.

These were our beloved. These whose names we’ve spoken aloud or in our hearts are our beloved still. And our hearts swell with gratitude that it is so.

Spirit of Generosity,

we come to you with hearts 

overflowing with gratitude

for your abundant creation.

Bless Tuesday, blessed Monday.

Bless the word week, its seven

small days trail with y.