Blog by Associate Mary Ellen George, OPA[/caption]
As a teenager and young adult, I often wrote poetry to express and connect with my inner feelings. Through poetry, I could explore the musings of my heart and let myself wander in wonderment with what my words might reveal. For me, words are like art and music, taking many forms and expressions. Like an artist, the poet uses words to paint a picture in the mind’s eye. Like a musician, a poet uses words to elicit feelings in a person's soul.
Sometimes poems are conversations with me, with others or with God. Oftentimes, I feel that poems come through me, but not from me. And when the poems come through me, it is as if God is speaking to me or walking with me. The poem that follows is one of these conversation poems that speak to the desire to connect with God.
Walk With Me
With every step I take, give me strength for the journey. Open my eyes to all your wonders. May I walk with the joy of a child always discovering you anew.
With every breath I take, remind me of your presence. Let me feel your gentleness in the whisper of the wind. Awaken in me every sense of your wonderment.
With every sound I hear, let me reflect on your presence. Help me to pause so that I can listen to your call. Whether the voice is loud or soft, may I respond lovingly.
With every smell I experience, let me enjoy your presence. May the fragrance of your creations heighten my response to you.
May I walk with a smile in my heart, knowing that your love is in all creation. Help me to see the signs for slowing down, knowing the limits of my own steps. Forever let me be open to seeing, hearing, and tasting your goodness.
When the path seems long and I feel lost, help me to trust that your grace is my guide. Let me be patient, trusting that you will lead me to the path that you want me to follow.
May the twists and turns in the road always lead me back to you. And when my journey ends, lift me up in your loving embrace to walk beside you always.
If you desire to live a life walking closely with God and feel God may be calling you to the religious life, why not join us at our March Come & See Retreat weekend to explore this possibility. You may also want to remember a Sister who inspired you or walked beside you during National Catholic Sisters Week, March 8-14.