A Prayer for Life and Death by Lynn V. Andrews
When I think of our sojourn
On this earthly plane,
I think of you, Great Spirit,
As you enter my world
Daily in the morning light,
bringing life to the flowers
and all that lives.
When I think of your passing,
My dear father (or friend, mother, etc)
I think of your light
As it illuminated my spirit
All the days of your life.
And when you left me and went on
Into the arms of the Great Spirit,
I cried in my grief,
Forgetting that
You had simply moved
From my earthly vision.
I am in pain because I miss you so.
I miss being able to reach out and touch you.
And yet, when I close my eyes,
You are inside of me,
You are forever within me,
And as I look at the setting sun,
I am reminded
Of the brilliance of your walk on this earth,
And how you illumined
Those around you.
You were a prime mover for me.
You made me circle my truth
And stand in my center,
And I am grateful always for how
You stood strong with me.
I honor you always,
And I hope that you felt
That respect and joy in your lifetime-
How you filled me
With peace and strength.
Surely, without you,
I could not have walked
my path of wisdom.
Because of your passing to the other side,
I realize more than ever
That we are all one.
And because of your onesness with all that is,
I even more fully sense
My oneness on this earth walk.
When I smell the beautiful roses,
I know that you live
Within that scent.
When I feel the gentle rains
Coming from the clouds,
I know it is the essence of your spirit
I feel on my skin.
When the wind blows
And I feel it caressing my cheek
Like fine silk,
I know that it is you.
Thank you, Great Spirit,
For this process of life and death.
It ennobles us beyond
Our distinction as human beings.
We become gods;
We become you.
And I walk in beauty
All the days of my life,
Knowing that you are within me.