The Year as a House

Jan Richardson

2 January 2019

The Year as a House

 

 
Think of the year
as a house:

door flung wide
in welcome,
threshold swept
and waiting,
a graced spaciousness
opening and offering itself
to you.

Let it be blessed
in every room.
Let it be hallowed
in every corner.
Let every nook
be a refuge
and every object
set to holy use.

Let it be here
that safety will rest.
Let it be here
that health will make its home.
Let it be here
that peace will show its face.
Let it be here
that love will find its way.

Here
let the weary come;
let the aching come;
let the lost come;
let the sorrowing come.

Here
let them find their rest,
and let them find their soothing,
and let them find their place,
and let them find their delight.

And may it be
in this house of a year
that the seasons will spin in beauty;
and may it be
in these turning days
that time will spiral with joy.
And may it be
that its rooms will fill
with ordinary grace
and light spill from every window
to welcome the stranger home.

©Jan Richardson
Image: "Many Rooms" © Jan Richardson
www.janrichardson.com