amen

i quit praying because
prayer represented a lack of self-reliance,
a neediness,
an inability to take care of my self and my own.

i quit praying because
i was told how to pray
and when to pray
and where to pray.

i quit praying because
i wanted to do it myself
in my own way
to my own spirit of surprises
with my eyes wide open.

well, guess what: i’ve taken up prayer again.

and even though my prayers may not
look like yours
or sound like yours
or be directed to the same god or direction as yours,
they are still prayers.

my prayers.

and on any given day
they sound like laughter
and feel like slow cloth
and taste like mom’s cubed steak
and smell like gardenias
and look like this:

prayers.jpg

because sometimes
prayers deserve pretty paper
and to be written in blood
and sealed with a big, fat, juicy kiss.

10 Comments

  1. Beth Hoffman

    I absolutely love this!

    • whollyjeanne

      thanks, beth. and i absolutely love that your book, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, is moving up the numbers in the NY Times Bestseller list (and several other lists, too)! that is fantastic news.

  2. Lalizlatina

    Amen, my beautiful friend. Thank you for this.

  3. Alma

    Love this. Thanks for the reminder that whatever higher being and inspiration we seek exists in the things we do every day.

  4. Heather Plett

    Beautiful. And something I can relate to.

  5. Julie Daley

    You are grace. Pure grace. I know it, ’cause I’ve sat with you in silence. Sweet, thick, pure grace.

  6. Kate Temple-West

    Amen.

  7. Anonymous

    Ah…my far away sister…I love your words.

  8. Anonymous

    and on any given day
    they sound like laughter
    and feel like slow cloth
    and taste like mom’s cubed steak
    and smell like gardenias
    and look like this:

    I love you.

  9. Cristina

    Sigh… I just love you. And that’s a prayer to and from my heart.

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