Prayers on a spring day that feels like winter

Under the Collection “An Empaths Guide to Watching the News”

I feel like so many of us are doing that thing — closing ourselves to the horror to get on with our day. Empathy freezing. Empathy walling. Sometimes it’s necessary to get through.

I believe moderation is healthy with the news. Today I re-engaged.

I bid good morning to my ancestors — blood, spirit and land. I give thanks for this new day, for this life, for the air, water, earth and fire inside my body.

I pray for a permanent ceasefire to bring peace, security and freedom to Gazans, Israeli hostages, and the whole region. I send prayers of protection from all the traditions to them all. Especially:

To Gazan women squeezing date juice onto handkerchiefs to feed their babies because they are so malnourished they have no milk.

To Hiyam Abu Khader, a 7-year-old girl whose family was killed in a bombing, who was burned all over her body, who waited too long to be evacuated, who died.

To Umm Mohammad Sleem, a Palestinian mother in Gaza City whose son was killed trying to get aid. She asks “What has a baby done to deserve to die of hunger?”

Closer to home, I send prayers to an 18 year boy in desperate need of a home who landed in my inbox. I’m sorry I can’t help you right now, I hope you find a loving home soon. I pray that adopting adolescents become more widespread.

I send love and compassion to those who are suffering in Sudan, DRC, Ukraine, Yemen, Haiti, NYC, Vermont, and everywhere.