To Those Who Have Offered

This poem is intended as a "thank you" for all of those who have been keeping my family, and particularly my sister, in their prayers as we all go through this difficult and heart-rending time in our lives:

Prayers

“We are praying,”
I’ve been told
By those whose hearts
Are kind
Gentle minds and
Thoughtful deeds
From ones who cannot
Carry more
For those of us
In need.

“We are praying,”
They have said
When we have faced
Our worst dreads
We go through strife
Though with many qualms
But also knowing
The prayers
Are being passed around
For us
Like alms, from palm to palm.

“We are praying,”
Are the words
We may not feel
Are truly healing
But those prayers
Each kind word
Are really keeping us
From feeling
Totally alone
And in the dark
The healing, loving words
Of faith
Of others
Helps to steel our strength
And hold up our heads
On this truly bad day
I know then that God
In a non-human way
Is there to guide and
Heal and care
Through those who
Recall our family
In prayer.