Breathing by Rev. Monique McBride
With only breath
Your name can be spoken
Yud Hey Vav Hay
So holy
It isn’t to be said aloud
Holy Spirit. Breath. Life…
Interchangeable words of life source and presence
How much more beautiful and holy
It makes the simple yet profound act
Of breathing in and out
Our first and last act of life
Our taking in of the essential
Our letting go
Of that which does not serve
Our relationship to earth and trees
Taking in oxygen giving back carbon dioxide
A delicate balance of life
Of which all on earth participate
Of being mindful not to breathe
Where we may cause harm to our neighbor
We breathe
We pant
We huff
We sigh
We gasp
We inhale
We hold our breathe
We exhale
We remember that You are only as far as our breath
Lord, remind us, when it feels so hard to breathe
That You are in our breath
That all we have to do
Is breathe
And You love us
Breathe
And You are present
May that be enough
Amen.
