Eternal God, before whom we are creatures of the day
and children of the hour,
I lift my prayers to you
as I stand in the shadows of the waning year.
I am aware once more of the fleetingness of time,
the transiency of my being.
So much has happened to me
during the year now so rapidly slipping away,
So much of hurt and happiness,
of loss and gain,
of hope and fear.
I did not expect the sorrow that was thrust upon me.
I was surprised by the turn of events that changed my life.
I look back.
I remember how different life a year ago was.
The slow, quiet erosion of the days has gone on,
and I am not quite the same person I was,
for better or for worse.
I have had a whole year to grow in love
or to fall out of love,
to turn my hands to constructive tasks,
or to turn away in idleness.
I have had a whole year,
and now it is almost gone.
No matter what I have done or failed to do,
O Lord, keep me from dwelling on it too much.
If I have failed,
help me put my failure behind me.
If I have done well,
help me to be glad but not complacent.
There are other hills to climb
and new hopes to be realized.
I know, O God,
You understand my need to look back for a while,
wistfully peering at the past.
But start me looking forward.
I do not know what events are ahead,
but I do know you are there,
and I am grateful. Amen