This was my meditation and prayer during our worship service today at UUCA.

I invite you to close your eyes and put your feet on the floor
Envision how they are connected to the Earth
how all of us are connected to the Earth 
as the Earth tilts toward the sun 
Think about the distance those rays of light travel 
and how we are illuminated

We are in a moment of movement
A subtle shift from light to dark
It is the end of the school year
which can mean liberation and popsicles 
or an endless expanse of long days 
and aimless children 
or sweaty summer jobs

The switch in our collective consciousness 
from business and busyness 
to the smell of saltwater or the swimming pool 
or simply falling asleep 
listening to the baseball game 
and the whir of the ceiling fan

Yet we do not and we cannot rest in the shade 
for too long, 
knowing our brothers and sisters and children 
are suffering
We bear witness to the families at the border 
torn apart and trapped in cages 
by our own government
May these children and their parents 
be made free and made whole
May their lives be illuminated

We bear witness to our LGBTQIA siblings 
who live in fear for their safety and their lives
even as we celebrate Pride
we mourn victims of murder 
May our siblings be made free and whole 
May their lives be illuminated

We bear witness to the everyday sorrows
The beloved friend disappearing beneath disease
The broken relationship we struggle to repair
The next step we are afraid to take

May we face each day 
with compassion
with courage
with grace
May our love be illuminated. 
And may we generously share 
our sunshine 
or our shade 
with whoever needs it

© Betsy Rosenblatt Rosso
June 2019