A Prayer for Slowing Down

When everything is moving too fast

Each week, after I write the main post, a few days later, I send an accompanying prayer related to the topic. I am doing in this in part for me: I always am on the hunt for more written prayers. I use written prayers often in my work to pray for larger groups, but I also love written prayers for my personal piety. Sometimes it is nice when I do not have the words to use someone else’s.

The below prayer is in response to my latest post on moving too fast.

God who is quiet and still, the steady heartbeat that undergirds every living thing,

I’m breathing.

In and out, in and out.

I’m trying to just sit here for a minute and take everything in.

No emergencies need my attention right now. Nothing is so urgent that I cannot simply be right here, right now, for the next five minutes.

Ground me, please.

May I carry the calm of this moment into the rest of my day.

Remind me that there are gifts that result from moving slowly about my day, gifts that I do not uncover if I am scurrying about.

Sometimes I n…