Weeping Prayer

This weeping cherry blossom tree reminds me of the moments our mothers have simply cried for no particular reason. Tears just flow due to the exhaustion of their day or disappointments of life. So imagine yourself sitting underneath this lovely cherry blossom and your mom comes up to you to share this beautiful prayer when you’re feeling out of sorts.

Imagine you are six years old at the time and sitting underneath this tree and you are crying. We don’t know why. We are just crying and crying. Our mother comes along and says, “What’s the matter?” We whimper back, “Nothing, Leave me alone!” So mom did and then we really start to cry. About fifteen minutes later she comes back and sits beside us underneath our tree. “You know, she says, I have to tell you something. There are going to be times in your life when you are going to cry, and you won’t know why. You won’t understand and neither will anybody else.”

Then mom said she was going to teach us a prayer for the times when we are crying and we don’t know why. She made you get off the ground and stand up underneath this tree. She said, "now put your arms around yourself." We did, but it wasn’t good enough for her. "You’re just folding your arms," she said. "Put them all the way around yourself. Cuddle your body. Hold yourself the way you would hold a baby in your arms. Now after you have a real good hold of yourself, close your eyes and begin to rock yourself. Rock yourself real good, the way you would a baby, and just keep doing it."

"When you grow up, no matter how old you are, and find yourself crying and you don’t know why, I want you to rock yourself just like this. And as you do it, remember that you are God’s little one, and that God understands why you are crying, even if no one else does. And remember, too, that God holds you close, just the way you are holding yourself, because God loves you very much. Then just keep rocking yourself and be comforted."

God prays for us as we reflect: “ For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death. my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.” (Psalm 116:8).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Caregiver Friends who are coming apart at the seams. Remember this prayer and whenever you feel miserable just stand wherever you are—in the kitchen, in your bedroom—and wrap your arms around yourself as tightly as you can. Rock yourself. Before long you will be able to feel God holding you in the same way you are holding yourself. You will be comforted the way you were comforted as a child when your mother held you in her arms and rocked you.