Open Hands

This is the poem that Brenna read over us on Sunday. What is standing out to you?

Open Hands
Rev. Sarah Speed

We are born with the ability

to wrap our fingers around another,

to hold tight to what we know.

Maybe that’s where the instinct comes from—

this clinging,

this sinking,

this holding on.

Maybe that’s why Peter cries, “Never!”

when Jesus must leave.

From the very beginning

we’ve known how to hold tight.

So I pray:

open up my hands.

Uncurl my fingers

one by one.

Loosen the grip

that I hold unyielding.

Remind me that birds must fly

and children must grow

and leaves must fall.

And even though

we are born with the ability

to hold tight,

we can learn how to love

with open hands.