17th Century Nun's Prayer
Prière d'une réligieuse
du 17e siècle
Lord:
Thou
knows better than I know myself
that
I am growing older and will some day be old.
Keep
me from the fatal habit of thinking
I
must say something on every subject
and
on every occasion.
Release
me from craving to straighten out everybody's affairs.
Make
me thoughtful but not moody:
helpful
but not bossy.
With
my vast store of wisdom,
it
seems a pity not to use it all,
but
Thou knowest Lord that
I
want a few friends at the end.
Keep
my mind free
from
the recital of endless details;
give
me wings to get to the point.
Seal
my lips on my aches and pains.
They
are increasing, and love of rehearsing them
is
becoming sweeter as the years go by.
I
dare not ask for grace enough
to
enjoy the tales of others' pains,
but
help me to endure them with patience.
I
dare not ask for improved memory,
but
for a growing humility
and
a lessening cocksureness
when
my memory seems to clash
with
the memory of others.
Teach
me the the glorious lesson
that
occasionally I may be mistaken.
Keep
me reasonably sweet;
I
do not want to be a Saint
...some
of them are so hard to live with...
but
a sour old person is one of
the
crowning works of the devil.
Give
me the ability to see
good
things in unexpected places,
and
talents in unexpected people.
And
give me, O Lord,
the
grace to tell them so.
Amen
________________________
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