Benediction

Today is my Aunt Janet's birthday. And it's my friend Peter's birthday. And my friend Margaret's birthday. And I got a note from someone today about blessing things simply because they exist.

What a powerful idea. And I got to thinking - what would it mean to bless ourselves, or to bless each other, simply because we exist? I can bless the world. I can bless others. But to be extravagantly blessed and praised by others - whew. That is something I am still learning how to receive, and do.

And so as I reflected on these dear people and the anniversary of their births, and as I saw my pets, gathered around my desk, this poem came, a blessing.

Benediction

Can we bless a thing simply
because it exists – because
the cat is a black and brown
tabby and the old dog is an old
dog and the oak tree is an oak
tree that sheds her leaves each
fall? Can we bless ourselves
simply because we exist – because
our hair is soft and our eyes
get tired and our arms hug tightly?
And can we bless ourselves
because we have a skeleton of bones
that above all needs a long,
cool drink of tenderness to remain
upright and standing in this world?

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