Tomorrow I leave for a good long stint away from home. I’ve left for more days before, but only on retreat, and this time seems different. The notes are written; the lists, exact. Unpack lunchkit, practice piano, turn in the forms for Dodger Day! Art class, swim team, feed turtle! Make bed, finish homework, pick up clothes! I’ve said it all before and yet I prattle it again as I do most everyday. Here’s what I really want to say, and have, in this post originally published on July 31, 2008. Is it possible that I mean every word of it even more right now?
May she be happy
May she sing, and make up songs
May she be safe, and feel safe
See shadows only for playing
May she seek and find
May her smile always find reflection in my own
May I find in her name the measure I need
And give give give.
Amen.
Georgia Grace in the garden, springtime 2007.
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amen!
Comment by Wendy — July 31, 2008 @ 10:02 am
Amen, indeed.
Gorgeous, gorgeous capture of your Georgia Grace.xo
Comment by Kirsten Michelle — July 31, 2008 @ 1:52 pm
what a lovely prayer. may it be so.
Comment by Phyllis Sommer — July 31, 2008 @ 2:58 pm
this one brought tears. im not sure for what really but as i linked back through your poem i felt little moments i swear you jumped into my brain to capture. thanks for the bright journey this morning.
Comment by latisha — July 31, 2008 @ 4:20 pm
Happy Birthday, Gigi!!!
And, this is a great simple post … especially the part about her smile seeing a reflection in yours. Yah. Gosh … isn’t that what we should all aim for??
immense deadline here … much like your last. dreadfully boring and the sources are driving me CRAZY. Nuts, really. Argh. Need to find reason to smile later … oh, that’s right, they’re sleeping right now. : )
Comment by Shawn — July 31, 2008 @ 6:28 pm
Beautiful moment and photograph.
Comment by mapelba — July 31, 2008 @ 9:27 pm
Love your prayer, each line of it. Especially the seek and find, and the shadow thought, and…
Comment by Mary Ann — August 1, 2008 @ 3:18 am
I’ll add an Amen to this one. And feliz cumpleanos, beautiful girl!
Comment by Jena Strong — August 1, 2008 @ 12:14 pm
Add another Amen!
Comment by Mama Zen — August 1, 2008 @ 2:27 pm
Amen.
Comment by Shelli — August 1, 2008 @ 11:35 pm
just happened upon your beautiful website~ i'll be back! i am a mom of 3 kids~ just posted a painting of my daughter, LUCY. stop by & have a lookie-loo if you have a minute~
PEACE&LOVE.
e
Comment by bLu eYd YoGi — August 2, 2008 @ 5:41 pm
Beautiful. Lucky girl. Lucky mom. Amen.
Comment by Jane — May 19, 2010 @ 2:40 am
Amen.
Comment by Mama Zen — May 19, 2010 @ 5:05 pm
smooch.
Comment by latisha — May 19, 2010 @ 8:40 pm
Love this. You know, all those bullet-copy lists I made before going away over the years are still on my computer, and when I come across one, it is like a snapshot of our family life at a particular moment. (Baseball, Ginn Field, 5 pm; practice piano; check Gracie’s water bowl. . .) Vanished days, captured in a to-do list from long ago.
Comment by Katrina Kenison — May 20, 2010 @ 12:32 am
I so have to use this on a scrapbook page!!!!
Thanks for your continued inspiration
Comment by diane — May 20, 2010 @ 12:57 am
she will..and such a journey to witness…
Comment by elk — May 20, 2010 @ 3:01 am
Thank you Karen for bringing me back…I need these simple reminders to knock some sense into my daily planner.
Thursday:
work on garden
clean house
pay bills
PRAY FOR MY CHILD
Amen.
Comment by Bridget James — May 20, 2010 @ 8:04 pm
Remembering the song from “Toot and Puddle”: “Boomerang, Boomerang, fly away Boomerang, Boomerang, Boomerang, And come home . . . ” Praying for you both.
Comment by J, Connecticut — May 20, 2010 @ 9:41 pm
Amen is right. And may I say this to myself, repeatedly, as well.
Comment by Molly — May 20, 2010 @ 11:02 pm
Making a similar checklist for my boys for this weekend… Thank you for the reminder to list the truly important things.
Comment by Lisa — May 21, 2010 @ 5:28 pm
Blessings to you both.
Comment by 6512 and growing — May 21, 2010 @ 8:16 pm
This is lovely.
Especially this part: May her smile always find reflection in my own
I hope this is true for my kiddos as well.
Comment by Erin — May 21, 2010 @ 8:48 pm
Beautiful picture!
Your (big) little girl, I’m sure, will astound you with what she’ll accomplish when you are gone. I remember when my mom used to leave us with my dad when she spoke at conferences, we worked doubly hard to make certain things were clean and done so that when she got back she’d be proud of us…
I hope your tour goes well!
Comment by Katie — May 22, 2010 @ 5:42 am
A friend sent me this prayer today…after I’d sent her an email to see if she’d take my spot in your upcoming retreat in Colorado.
I’ve been reading your blog for over a year, so how’d I miss this? Or maybe I just needed to read it with new eyes today?
My mom is sick. The cancer has spread. Right now it looks like perhaps I’ll still be able to attend the retreat. Either way, I’ll carry this poem, this prayer, in my pocket. My mother and I always do better when I see her as a young girl rather than as my mother, and now more than ever, she needs me to find that measure in her name.
Thank you Karen.
Comment by Deirdre — September 5, 2011 @ 6:47 pm