You know who you are.

You put your own life on hold, move across the country to sit by the bedside.
You process the hospital bills, pay them, know they matter more than the car you had thought you needed.
You explain patiently, one more time, to the one who won’t remember.
You make 100 phone calls searching for a kidney donor.
You hold the shaking body through the nightmares, even in your sleep.
You take time to find the one food she will still eat.
You rub ice chips on his lips, and then chapstick.
You find hours you don’t have, rush to the hospice. You’ll sleep later.

You know who you are.
You couldn’t do anything else.
It is your privilege and your duty to be right where you are.

This is a prayer for you:

May what you are giving be a gift to you, as well.
May the tiny smile bring comfort, bring joy.
May the eyelid’s flicker stir your heart.
May you have a good laugh today.
This is a prayer for you.

May these days be a blessing
That carries you on the sea of love.
May these days be
The jewel in your crown.

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Rev. Meg Riley

Senior Minister at Church of the Larger Fellowship

Meg has been a Unitarian Universalist minister for more than twenty years. As a UU kid in West Virginia, she quickly learned to enjoy being "different," which has served her well in a "different" life. Meg lives in Minneapolis, where she enjoys walking by lakes, gardening, reading and writing. She also lives online, where she enjoys hanging out, keeping up with people, and playing the occasional game of Scrabble. She is the parent of a teenager, and the companion of a number of four legged friends.

Latest posts by Rev. Meg Riley (see all)

• From Your Minister - July 1, 2020
• From Your Minister - June 1, 2020
• From Your Minister - May 1, 2020