Spirit of life, God within and and all around us, help us talk kindly to ourselves — to who we have been: if we have known “the sinking down beneath sorrows ground,” and we are now reaching out and breathing sweet, fresh air, then we know that change comes, that pain and sorrow can mend.

Help us talk kindly to ourselves — to who we are: if we fear that evening’s shadow will fall and that the light of day will not come again, remind us that the seeds planted in sorrow’s ground are already growing, often planted by the friends who will gather round us if we let them.

Help us talk kindly to ourselves — to who we will be: for just like new growth grafted to old rootstock, we can flourish.

We give thanks for the times we have withdrawn and taken care of ourselves, as well as the times when, in spite of fear, we have spoken, in spite of fear we have acted. We give thanks for all that has led us to know that no matter how loud the voices may be that would separate us, our hearts do hear a different call — we are each and every one of us worthy; we are all one people, and our world is one world.

Here now, strengthened by the hymns and prayer that we share, may we rest in the comfort we can offer each other: forgiveness, encouragement, solidarity. Help us not hide from ourselves or each other. Spirit of life, God who we co-create, help us over and over again to speak our truth, listen with the ears of our heart, and — to ourselves and each other — help us to be be kind. We are not alone. Together, to the end we can sing.

May it be so. Amen.

—Jane S.