Prayer for Hopelessness

six small flat stones stacked on top of each other, among a bed of rocks

The days that come
and carry away your spirit, your spark —
bow down.
Lay your head on the hard earth
and let your brokenness
join the death that is stirring there.
Life rebels against death,
takes the very dust of our bones
and reweaves it into glory.
You were made for Life,
and Life does not intend to let you go.
But rest you can.
Decay and falling away from ourselves
are part of that process.
If you need to fall apart, then do —
for Life will hold you in that, too
will teach you how to dessicate and blow away
and then will call you back from the four corners of the earth
and will renew you with the water
of the tears of others
who
like you
weep for all that is lost.
She will breathe back into you
the breath that washes from the mouths of children laughing
from the lion's roar,
from the exhalation of trees.
You will be reborn
into the arms of beloveds
and together,
we will sing a new song.