Above all, love

This appeared in the March Quest for Meaning.

Then let us first of all have grace.
Grace for those who have come before us.
Sometimes they got it right, sometimes not.
But we know more now because of them.
If not grace, then gratitude.

Next let us have some grace
for each one in their own particularity.
We must always strive for common ground
and work from there.
If not grace, then an open heart.

Finally, let us have some grace
for ourselves. Knowing, we too
can be wretched, to use a big word,
or just plain old wrong, to be more direct.
If not grace, then a bit of self-compassion.

And let us, in the end, hate the parts of us
that are warlike more than we hate the other
we imagine to be. And let us say, looking
in the mirror: Have mercy on me, have mercy
on me, have mercy on me. So that we might
have mercy on all of creation.

If not mercy, then love. Above all, love.