The following meditation, titled “Memories Crowd Upon Us,” is from Thurman’s Meditations of the Heart.
Memories crowd upon us as we look back over the week just passed:
Many high hopes – many dreams unfulfilled;
Many blunders made and, in the sharpness of our anguish,
We would turn back the wheels of time and try again.
Many joys that were unanticipated;
Many little graces by which our faith in ourselves and in life
Is lifted up and strengthened –
Much for which we need to be forgiven;
Much we need to forgive.
All around us, our Father, there are reminders of Thy Presence in our midst:
Pangs of conscience,
A spontaneous impulse to do the kind and gracious thing,
The sensitiveness to another’s needs,
The great burden of anguish which we feel as we look out upon the world.
Teach us, O living Spirit, the wisdom to lay ourselves
Bare to Thy scrutiny – that we may reflect Thy life
In the dark places of our minds, hearts and desires;
That we may know Thy courage – and the grounds of Thy hope
for the children of men.