O God,

let something essential happen to me,

something awesome,

something real.

Speak to my condition, Lord

and change me somewhere inside 

where it matters,

a change that will burn 

and tremble 

and heal

and explode me into tears

or laughter

or love that throbs 

or screams

or keeps a terrible, cleansing silence

and dares the dangerous deeds.

Let something happen in me which is my real self, God…. O God,

let something essential and joyful happen in me now,

something like the blooming of hope and faith,

like a grateful heart,

like a surge of awareness of how precious each moment is,

that now, 

not next time,

now is the occasion to take off my shoes

to see every bush afire,

to leap and whirl with neighbor,

to gulp the air as sweet wine 

until I’ve drunk enough to dare to speak the tender word:

“Thank you”

“I love you”

“You’re beautiful”

“Let’s live forever beginning now”