My Grandmother's Prayer

This is one of my Grandmother's favorite prayers. One of her well-known statements was "Why don't we have a Department of Peace?" She was an awesome woman!

Let the rain come and wash away the ancient grudges,

the bitter hatreds held and nurtured over generations.
Let the rain wash away the memory

of the hurt, the neglect.
Then let the sun come out

and fill the sky with rainbows.
Let the warmth of the sun heal us

wherever we are broken.
Let it burn away the fog

so that we can see each other clearly.
So that we can see beyond labels,

beyond accents, gender or skin color.
Let the warmth and brightness of the sun

melt our selfishness.
So that we can share the joys

and feel the sorrows of our neighbors.
And let the light of the sun be so strong

that we will see all people as our neighbors.
Let the earth, nourished by rain,

bring forth flowers to surround us with beauty.
And let the mountains teach our hearts

to reach upward to heaven.

Amen.

“A Prayer for the World”
Written by Rabbi Harold S. Kushner
Author, “When Bad Things Happen to Good People”