night

alive chatter

jumping over one another's sentences

flowing around the circle

igniting a new flame 

thought

question

experience 

piece of life. 

we gather because we want to

we came because we care

invest in others

invest inside. 

in no particular order we check in with the other

ask deeply and often

"how ARE you?"

and friends tell

because we want to be known

that the pain will be less

and the heart will be more

if we do so. 

risk. enjoy. step in. 

these friends bring lightning with the rain. 

my favorite.

bedtime

amidst the laughter and the glances

music and the pain of close but not close enough just yet

we sit

and eat pancakes and wonder

'is this the way we make friends?'.

i have said often i speak more than i listen and i have

said

it

often.

lord.

make my ear one quick to listen

my heart a sponge for those i am around

make my arm a resting place for the weary

and this worthless back useful to carry those whose burdens outweigh them.

as a finger of you, god, let me lighten let me push

the corners of the frown into a hopeful glance.

make me a friend, father. one who truly jumps at the opportunity to BE with those that need to be WITHed.

i am anxious without you, and with you. i am heavy with the danger of letting my small mouth make the biggest blunder of all

by saying so much

that i fail to say anything

of love

of silence

of listening.

let's get together, yeah yeah yeah. why don't you and i combine?