A Mid-Winter Prayer

From the rising of the midwinter sun to its setting

Scatter the darkness with the light of your love, O Shining One.

Make me short on mean thoughts, long on offering words of comfort

Make me short on being driven, long on paying attention

Make me short on focusing only on my own, long on looking beyond

Make me short on obsessive lists, long on spontaneous acts of kindness

Make me short on mindless activity, long on time to reflect

Make me short on tradition as a habit, long on re-discovery and re-owning

Make me short on rushing and tiring, long on walking and wondering

Make me short on false festive jollity, long on stilling and rooted joy

Make me short on guilt, long on being merciful to myself

Make me short on being overwhelmed, long on peaceableness as I set forth this day

from The Celtic Wheel of the Year by Tess Ward