May my remembrance be a work of justice
May my ideas about grief be open wide
May I let go of the idea that grieving is weeping,
surrender my longing for catharsis,
not misuse my tears.
May I cease performing my concern,
drop my missionary impulse,
my need to save the ‘world’,
my notions of fixing things.

May I celebrate survivance,
alongside grieving those who are lost
Learn from people and perspectives that I don’t know,
to grieve and vision with integrity.
May I reach out with eyes and ears open, mind still and absorbing –
listen and watch carefully, think deeply
May I ask good questions and practise discernment
May I speak up where needed, and listen more
May my voice join and strengthen chants for justice
May I find the words even when I’m scared
May my language be clear
May I not say ‘we’ when I mean ‘me’

May I stay with the trouble as if it was a best friend
May I know my privilege as I would a lover
May justice be a sacred word
May I forgive
May I do no harm
May I see and speak of the links between harms
May I see my failures and keep going
May my unwavering passion hold hands with deepest humility

May I not be governed by shame
Be robust rather than fragile,
curious not defensive.
May I not confuse my hurt feelings with actual harms
May I be strong enough to face truths that distress me
and keep loving
Recognise my limits while seeing beyond them
Understand true connectivity and its spiralling place in my/our worlds

May I proceed with care
May I nourish and be nourished by the work of others
May I find rest and delight regularly
May my art-making not be a hiding place
May my creativity be my activism
May I be open to beauty, joy and wonder
This is my prayer, my love, my work, soul and song

Make it so.