How I Pray
When I was really little, I was taught a prayer to say on bended knee at my bedside. It was a little poem-like prayer. I think it was the "Now I lay me down to sleep" one, but I can't be entirely sure.
Later, when I went to church as a school girl, I learned prayers from the prayer book (Duh! where else are you going to find prayers?!) And could recite the Apostle's Creed and the Nicene Creed. I was more interested in performing the memorization than having any connection or meaning to the words.
So, I had so very little relationship with prayer -- I really didn't know what it was or how to do it, until one day...
One day, I read an inspirational writing in a little pamphlet that suggested I could start a powerful prayer life by engaging with God as my best friend. I was to relate to the Divine as I would with a best friend in relationship and conversation, and that was prayer. This best-friend connection was a brand new concept to me. I got it. This was something I knew about because I had a best friend.
I thought of what made her my best friend. We spent a lot of time together, I called her many times a day, we told each other everything. We had fun together, but if I had a problem, it was she who would listen, console, and comfort. She would make me laugh at myself and not take myself too seriously. I asked for and listened to her advice (but made my own decisions.) We went everywhere together. People began to expect that we would show up together, and we were referred to in one hyphenated name with "and" in between. We could be totally comfortable together, and just hanging out was as easy and great as doing something special. We talked about our future plans and our present heart aches.
What if I had that same relationship with God?
I began opening up to the Divine in this type of prayer -- all day, in times that were good and bad, and with comfort and ease. This best-friend model is still the way I have my conversations with God. It works for me and the God of my understanding.
What works for you?
