And only where the forest fires have sped,
Scorching relentlessly the cool north lands,
A sweet wildflower lifts its purple head,
And, like some gentle spirit sorrow-fed,
It hides the scars with almost human hands.
And only to the heart that knows of grief,
Of desolating fire, of human pain,
There comes some purifying sweet belief,
Some fellow-feeling beautiful, if brief.
And life revives, and blossoms once again.
--“Fire-Flowers” by Emily Pauline Johnson
Author Anne Lamott describes prayer as a spiritual practice based on three words: “help, thanks, and wow.” As we near the end of the school year, we have the opportunity to reflect and build upon this past year and a half, reflecting prayerfully on the lament—captured in the word “help"—the thanks and gratitude for all the people who have worked tirelessly to make this school year happen, and the “wow” and wonder that we made it through, in community, through the ups and downs of this extraordinary year.
The other day, as I walked my dog, I saw a student sprint across the athletic fields towards her sister. She hadn’t seen her sister since December and when they met, they leapt into each other’s arms. Normally, I would smile and continue walking. But something about their reunion made me tear up, and once the tears came, they wouldn’t stop. Since the arrival of the vaccines this year, I imagined this kind of reunion happening again and again all across the country. Family members separated by this terrible virus are now reuniting, allowed to hug again and to celebrate the meaningful milestones of life or the simple presence of one another’s company.
At the same time, we know many families will never have the chance to hug one another or celebrate these milestones again. And so, our prayers vacillate between prayers of lament and prayers of thanks and awe. Emily Pauline Johnson’s poem reminds us that the scars of grief will always be there, but without such grief, we can never fully know the sweet “wildflowers” and “blossoms” of truly living. As we continue to process all that transpired in our lives since March 2020, may we remember the importance of praying our laments, praying our thanks, and praying for experiences of awe and wonder.
