Your Unique Heart

The Prayer of Cyrus Brown
By Sam Walter Foss (1858 – 1911)

"The proper way for a man to pray,"
Said Deacon Lemuel Keys,
"and the only proper attitude
is down upon his knees."

"No, I should say the way to pray,"
Said Rev. Dr. Wise,
"is standing straight with outstretched arms
And rapt and upturned eyes."

"Oh, no, no, no"
Said Elmer Slow.
"Such posture is too proud.
a man should pray with eyes closed and head bowed."

"Seems to me his hands should be
austerely clasped in front,
with both thumbs pointing toward the ground,"
said Rev. Dr. Blunt.

"Last year I fell in Hitchkin's well,
headfirst," said Cyrus Brown,
"and both my heels were stickin' up
and my head was a pointin' down.

"And I made a prayer right then and there,
the best prayer I ever said.
the prayin'est prayer I ever prayed
was standin' on my head."

I imagine that some of you have read this poem before, but seeing it today, in my readings, was a first for me.  I loved it, as it reminds me of how often people get caught-up in these types of questions:

Am I praying enough?

Am I praying the right way?

Am I praying at the right time?

Am I saying the right words?

Am I being heard by God?

I think the answers are found between you and God…

Is God nudging you to spend more time with him, and then you think you'll get to God later?

Are you going to God in prayer in such a way that you are speaking whole-heartedly?  Or are you holding back part of yourself or allowing too many interruptions to occur?

God is ever-present, so there’s no time like the present to pray!

Are you being your authentic self when you speak to God?  Or are you caught up in elaborate words that are meaningless to you AND to God?  Are you giving God lip service or giving your unique heart?

God is ever-present, so God is always listening.  God is Love, so God longs to hear from God's beloved children. 

If you want to have a prayer practice that works for you, then practice in your prayer.  If one way doesn’t come sincerely from your heart, then try another way.  John Chapman, OSB, advised people to “Pray as you can, not as you cannot.”  God made you a unique and beloved person.  Go to God with that in mind, knowing you are irreplaceable and loved by God.  Start slowly, if you must, but do start.  Be your authentic self in all you do, including in your prayer.  This means, get to know God and get to know the person that God wants you to be! 

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