A prayer

I was searching through my interfaith ministers manual and I came across this prayer.  I think I wrote it initially, however I just can't remember.  It's very touching and beautiful so I've decided to share it with you. I hope you like it.

Healing my heart and loving God
I stopped loving well because when I first did it was not returned.

Instead I received only emptiness and pain and the longing I felt seemed like an eternal hunger that could not be fulfilled.

In pain, I chose not to love well, to put my heart in protective box.

Soft and cushioned on the inside, yet hard and impregnable.

So when you asked me to love You – I found I had forgotten how to love at all!



The childhood innocence was lost.

Doubt and distrust replaced my unconditional heart.

How do I remember my heart?

Do I allow it to open and love again like an intoxicated teenager?

To feel the freedom of love, the naivety that expects the love it offers to be returned completely – no withdrawing, no pain, no rejection?

I fear that mutual desire to be with another, the shared uncontrollable, unceasing longing.

Can hurt lovers trust again? Can betrayed love trust again and offer anew the first love and truly believe it will be returned?



Yet the crime wasn’t yours. You have not left me. You have not hurt me.

So why do I shut out the fire of Your love that even now wells up in my belly – desperate to move upwards to my heart and release it from the box of safety.

There is no forced entry; You do not come like a raider with crowbars and dynamite.

You simply ask me for the key. A lover’s voice so sweet and seductive.

I tell you my secrete, yet You always knew – the box is not locked!



So open my box and gently take out my crumpled heart.

Cherish and love it the way I the way I always knew You did.

So I can loose myself in your love, but more importantly,

So I can give it back in return.

Completely trusting that You will be a true lover for me.