My dear,
I birth you into a world of imperfections:
there are takers
deceivers
violators
haters.
deceivers
violators
haters.
Yet still it is a world of God’s grace,
filled with givers
counselors
nurturers
lovers.
counselors
nurturers
lovers.
In all things, be a child of God, in the footsteps of God.
Womb of my womb,
I pray for you strength and grace,
inner beauty and outer presence.
inner beauty and outer presence.
Daughter of daughters,
May you strive for knowledge and friendship,
peace and justice.
peace and justice.
Newest of women,
How can I explain to you womanhood,
so beautiful and so powerful?
so beautiful and so powerful?
Young Mary of mine,
In every playfulness and each pain,
in every growth and each rest…
in every growth and each rest…
…believe that God is woman.
I wrote a prayer for each of my children when they were born. This prayer — written in the voice of St. Anne, mother of Mary the mother of Jesus — was written for my daughter, who has a birthday today.