A friend stopped me yesterday and told me her husband had recently lost his job. She was visibly scared and worried, understandably concerned about the well being of her family. When I asked what I could do to help, her only request was “pray for me”.
There was a time that this would have left me feeling unsatisfied because it wouldn’t seem like enough, but over time I have come to understand the importance of these words, the importance of asking others to think about you and send thoughts of love, strength and healing.
For me prayer is synonymous with sending kind thoughts or sending positive energy or as I like to say, sending good vibes.
I love this phrase because I have been saying it since college, way before I understood what a “vibe” was…..way before I heard of an energetic vibration or had an understanding of my own developing spirituality. It was a comment from the soul, something I didn’t fully understand but it always felt like the right thing to say.
For reasons that I don’t fully understand or am able to articulate, prayer and good thoughts have tremendous power. I have witnessed amazing things when it comes to prayer, most importantly my dad’s recovery from a near fatal heart attack and stroke 11 years ago.
During his extensive recovery my family experienced an outpouring of calls and messages saying that love and hope were being sent our way. The strength of others allowed my mom, sister and I to care for my dad, and although I will never know what my dad felt or experienced, I watched him recover in a way that I never thought was possible.
For many, prayer is an experience based in religion, and for others the act of sending love is part of a more personal spirituality. Either way it’s an opportunity to let go of the random thoughts that crowd the brain to focus on hope, connection and healing for another person. It’s about letting someone know that you have been thinking of them and that you care about their well being.
And as with all things in life, the more love you give the more you will receive, and the more you receive the more you will have to offer.
So to my friend who is struggling right now, I am indeed sending you love and prayers. And to anybody else who is struggling with personal or family issues, consider asking others to think of you. It’s a powerful first step towards awareness and healing.
Any good thoughts? Feel free to comment.
