Wednesday, April 29, 2009

I Pray For Them

Another busy day, with Zoe doing homework in the car as we drove from one activity to another. When we got in the car after ballet to drive to Maya's end-of-season soccer party, Zoe pulled out her Religion book to review for a test. She decided to test me, reading me the questions, giving her answer, and asking for mine -- and mine couldn't be the same as hers.

The first questions were easy -- what of God's creation do you experience with your five senses? Zoe's answers: eyes, flowers; ears, music; nose, perfume; mouth, spaghetti; touch, smooth rocks. Mine: my kids, my kids, my kids, my kids ("You can't EAT us!" Zoe says; "No, but I can kiss you all over!"), my kids!

The last was tougher -- "Write a prayer of blessing for a friend, a family member, or a member of your parish." -- tough because I'm one of those old-timey Catholics who have a hard time with spontaneous prayer (the Hail Mary? got it; St. Francis of Assisi's prayer? no problem; wanna hear the Our Father, got it covered)! Zoe's prayer was for a friend whose dog had died. Mine was a part of my usual, silent, night-time prayer: "Dear God, please bless Zoe's and Maya's birth families with the peace of knowing that their girls are happy and loved."

I glanced in the rearview mirror, uncertain what the silence from the back seat meant. Zoe was hugging herself and smiling -- glowing, actually. "Didn't you know I pray for your birth family all the time," I asked. Zoe answered, "No! But I'm glad, because I do, too!" That, I knew. But I guess I should have clued her in on my prayers long ago. It really mattered to her. I guess I should have figured that out sooner.

3 comments:

LilySea said...

Aw!

I sometimes name my children's mothers out loud during the ad lib part of the prayers at church partly because they are just in my prayers and partly to make sure my kids know.

Loved hanging with you in Cleveland! Sorry I missed you to say goodbye. Hope we cross paths again sooner rather than later.

park it said...

When we say ours prayers each night - we pray for "your birth mother and birthfather in China"...
Carol & Kimberly

Sheri said...

We pray for "x and y and z.... and everybody we love and for LL's and QQ's birthfamilies in China". Sometimes we add, "and help them to know their daughters are happy and healthy, safe and loved." The wording varies from night to night.