a prayer, again

i wrote a prayer in 2023. i’m still saying it, and tonight i’m adding a few more lines. let me stay gentle and tender-hearted despite my hardships and failings, let me always be unapologetically true to myself with no fear of prejudice and judgment, let me have the strength and courage to actively quell my insecurities and anxiety let me trust that being behind is not the same as being lost, let me stop measuring my life against timelines that were never mine, let me meet the days I’m unsure of with patience instead of fear, let me not be so alone in this that I forget to reach out, let me hope without needing a guarantee