Prayers by Patricia Shelden

Dear God of my Joys and Sorrows,

You have been my comfort and strength when I have been angry, frightened, worried, or confused. You have been the one with whom I have shared my thanks, love, joy and appreciation for every gift of life.  At times I have struggled with the emotions you built us to feel.  I come to you again, only this time my situation is grave and I am as frightened as I am exhausted.  This time I do not have the strength to sort out my feelings, as each seems as important as the next.  I feel, and have been told by my doctors, that I am losing my hold on this tremendous gift of Life.  I can feel it slipping beyond my ability to hold on to it.  Be with me, Oh, Lord, for I am both frightened and too exhausted to care.

I cling to the messages of Love and Forgiveness you taught us.  The need to forgive myself as well as others feels immediate.  It is, perhaps, the easiest thing to allow to happen, as I do not have the energy to hold on to anything other than the Life I know that I am losing.  Yet, saying “Goodbye” to those I love is as burdensome as it is necessary.   Help me, O Lord, to find a way to speak in such words that my spouse, children, grandchildren, and all my family and friends will have no doubt of my love and appreciation for them.  Help me find the words to ensure them that my love for them will continue beyond my life.  My Love is so deep and true that I now know it will be with them forever.  Help them not to grieve too hard or too long - just enough as they need but not so much that their lives become drab and limited.  Instead, may they feel my Love and my hand in theirs all their days.

Thank you, God, for all the gifts you have given and allowed in my life.  Thank you for the beauty, love, laughter, and warmth I shared along the way.  Thank you for the struggles and work that caused me to grow and become a better person.  I tried.  I did the best I could. I finally know that this is enough.  

Bless me in my journey ahead.  Bless those I love and whom I have loved.  Let Love remain.  Let Love be my memory for others.  Let Love speak for my life.  For when everything else is peeled away it is Love that gave me strength and joy.  Love is what I shall take with me, of this I am sure.  Love will surround and journey with me, for Love cannot end. 

Amen

Prayer for All Our Losses

For those we miss.
For things long gone.  
For those who or what we last held in our arms,
in our hands and in our hearts - 
we pray.  

We pray for memories to stay strong
Memories of words and warmth,
of actions and stillness.

We pray for Love shared and lived,
Love to remain with us and with them,
and for that to become enough.

We pray for the courage to put our feet
on the floor when we wake.
To move through the day as if we cared.

Oh, Love, that holds us all - 
hold me while I hold on to what I have lost.

Amen.

I Miss You

My world is not the same without you.
I think of you every hour, awake and asleep..
Each day it hurts to breathe and my heart
feels too heavy for me to move.

You were the laughter and smile of my days.
You were the place my happiness began,
The secret of Love I finally understood.
In your eyes I was someone even I could like.

Without you I barely move through my days,  
I do something as basic as just survive.
Without you I cannot find the path forward
or the reason for me to even try……anything.

I put one foot in front of the other day by day.
I hear it will get better, I hear it repeatedly.
But, right now I have no faith in that, 
because I just miss you too much. 

My dear pet

I cannot count the hours we spent playing,
or keeping warm and near.
You were my family and my loving companion.
You made me smile and relax.
I am so thankful we shared the time we did.
You were the most loyal, trusting, fun
friend I have ever known.
Rest now.
You will always be with me.

My Prayer

I give thanks for every day we shared.
I pray for the strength to move though
the days ahead without you.

I know that love never dies.
Yet, I pray the love I gave
remains with you, 
As I feel yours for me.  

And, on the days that are the hardest,
I pray that the Love that surrounds us all
will hold and comfort me
until this hurts just a little bit less.

Amen.