To me, prayer shouldn’t be separate from daily life, but should arise spontaneously from it, inspired by the ordinary sights, sounds and experiences that surround us. That was the raison d’être behind my book Touching the Seasons, as well as for the other books in the series, Touching Down, Touched By His Hand and Heaven Touching Earth. In the following, for example, something as simple as someone frowning leads on to a reflection concerning the nature of God.
The frown
It made me uneasy, that look on his face,
feeling that I’d done something wrong,
somehow displeased him.
But I’d misunderstood entirely,
his frown one of concentration rather than anger,
and my discomfort in his presence
altogether misplaced.
Too easily, Lord,
and at this season in particular,
I picture you with a frown on your face –
stern,
forbidding,
angry –
as though you are permanently displeased
at my behaviour,
looking for the opportunity to step in and condemn.
Remind me that the reality is so very different,
your nature always to have mercy,
to forgive, love and accept.
Help me, then,
during Lent and always,
to celebrate your love that smiles upon me.
Amen.