Prior to the pandemic, I asked the folks in the Exponent community what situations they would like to have addressed in a blessing and was overwhelmed by the response. I offer this blessing-of-many-needs and hope that all of my readers can locate themselves in this blessing and find comfort.

A blessing for all of those in need of a blessing

God,
We are people seeking comfort for the griefs of life that overwhelm us.
Life was challenging enough before the pandemic
And these wounds linger in our lives
The blessings we are seeking are specific to the seeker
But these requests are heard and echoed
By many.
Please hear our petition for our siblings in need.

We are seeking
A blessing for the daughters we were before we knew who we were
A blessing for someone who is trying to heal from trauma
A blessing for those who want children but don’t have them
A blessing for those who have children but wouldn’t have chosen to have them if they had had a choice
A blessing for those who are single but want a partner
A blessing for those who are married but wish they weren’t and don’t see a way out
A blessing for those who came out of a crisis relatively unscathed and feel guilty for being okay while others are suffering
A blessing for those who feel like they can’t ask for one
A blessing for those who don’t feel like they deserve one
A blessing for those who feel alone
A blessing for those dealing with invisible disabilities
A blessing for those with visible disabilities
A blessing for those who can’t come out
A blessing for those who are in unsafe situations
A blessing when your faith is shattered
A blessing for those who think today seems ok but are pretty sure something bad will arrive tomorrow
A blessing for those in pain
A blessing for when your dream dies
A blessing for dealing with chronic illness, both physical and mental
A blessing for caregivers
A blessing for patience to deal with what I already have
A blessing for when you have a child struggling with addiction
A blessing for the ability to forgive
A blessing to be forgiven
A blessing for those who are beginning anew
A blessing for those audacious enough to hope
A blessing for the understanding of white supremacy culture and for strength in dismantling it
A blessing for those who have just had an abortion
A blessing for those who want to parent better than they were parented
A blessing of gratitude for abundance
A blessing for those examining their privilege
A blessing to have more empathy
A blessing of letting go of things that hurt us, even when they feel familiar
A blessing for feeling two ways at once
A blessing for those trying to hear their Mother’s voice
A blessing for those whose beliefs are quaking but whose faith is strong
A blessing for being a decent mother-in-law
A blessing for the ones without a God
A blessing for the ones with a self
A blessing for gay spouses of straight partners in a mixed-orientation marriage
A blessing for straight spouses of gay partners in a mixed-orientation marriage
A blessing for the woman I might have been had I not been taught that the only available roles were wife and mother
A blessing for the resentment a mother because she wasn’t able to raise her children in the way she felt was best
A blessing for women who have had a miscarriage or stillborn baby and are struggling with the question if they will see them again in the afterlife
A blessing for radical acceptance of a life not lived or a path not taken
A blessing of self forgiveness when one’s parenting falls short
A blessing of openness to others’ ideas and opinions without judgement
A blessing of sleep to calm an anxious parent
A blessing of peace to a child who desires a relationship with their parent but that is no longer possible
A blessing that good enough is okay
A blessing for those going through a divorce that was wanted.
A blessing for those going through a divorce that was not wanted
A blessing for those who were loved only conditionally as children
A blessing for parents worried about dangerous choices their children are making
A blessing for grieving past choices and missed opportunities
Amen.