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Writer's pictureRev. Marshall K Hammer

A Blessing for Tender Courage in Times of Upheaval

I woke up thinking I might could borrow a bit more strength. If I was a betting person, I would bet I'm not the only one.


Are you feeling weighted by grief from our collective? Is mourning a constant background task for you? Election years in the United States are one thing but taking into account all the fear and violence that has been in our world for so long...I wonder. How does one hold it all whilst still holding oneself? There are wonderful things happening concurrently, of course, but I don't want to bypass the hardships and terror by ignoring them. We forget through pretending. We must not.


For whomever this blessing may benefit, even in the slightest way, may it be so.

May springtime also renew our stamina.


Marshall prays in front of a tree and pond in springtime

Photo of Rev. Marshall by Vanessa Owen & Gavin Stewart


a blessing for tender courage in times of upheaval


May the light of universal love shine through the darkness,

Illuminating the inherent worth and dignity of all beings.

In this time of fear, division, and malice,


May we be anchored in our shared interconnectedness -

Understanding we are one web of life on this planet,

All equally deserving of compassion and respect.


Though the voice of hatred rings out harshly,

May the whispers of our tenderness not be drowned.

In bearing witness to injustice, bigotry, and oppression,

May we have the courage to meet hardness with softness.

May the vitriol of those who choose not to know us

Only strengthen our resolve to stand in our authentic truth.


To the persecuted, marginalized, and vulnerable of all species,

Whose basic rights and wellbeing are threatened -

May you find strength in knowing you are loved

Beyond your comprehension of love

Enveloped in the eternal currents of love


That have sustained life's diversity for eons.

May you be emboldened to thrive fully as you are -

Precious, vibrant expressions of our shared Earth community.


In this nation, this election year of upheaval,

May we hold the hopes of all beings in our hearts.

Through the labor of healing our world,

May we embody the virtues of mercy, grace and steadfast care.


May our every action be a stand for the highest truth -

That only love can conquer hatred, only light can banish darkness.

Messages we hear may be loud -

They cannot overpower the soft embrace we hold one another in


Though the path has already been long and the obstacles are many,

We are not alone on this journey of repair.

We are upheld by the resilience of life itself,

We possess courage, kinship and reverence.

From the deepest wellsprings of our being,

May we honor the inherent dignity within all our kin.

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