Prayer of Saint Francis

Lord, Make me a channel of thy peace-
That where there is Hatred,
I may bring Love-
That where there is Wrong,
I may bring the spirit of Forgiveness-
That where there is Discord,
I may bring Harmony-
That where there is Error,
I may bring Truth-
That where there is Despair,
I may bring Hope-
That where there are Shadows,
I may bring Light-
That where there is Sadness,
I may bring Joy.

Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort
than to be comforted-
To understand, than to be understoond-
To love, than to be loved.
For it is by self-forgetting that one finds.
It is by forgiving that one is forgiven.
It is by dying that one awakens to Eternal Life.
Amen.

Motherhood is showing me I am capable of this ideal, for isn't this how we relate to our children? Never do I enter Tatum's room in the middle of the night to her crying and expect her to recognize that I am tired and need some sleep. Neither do I expect her to understand that I have a long list of "to do's" that need to be "to done" if she would only cooperate. No, I seek to comfort, I seek to bring joy, I strive to emulate faith and hope. My love is unconditional and selfless. Who knew I was capable of that?? Now....if I can just apply it to the rest of the world. :)