First Saturday in Lent

"to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show every courtesy to everyone."  Titus 3:2

rather than choosing

to be silent about the

way others are treated,

may we stand up 

to the haters.
rather than nibbling

on our bitter hearts

so we have enough bile

to spew on others,

may our words become

the warmth those frozen

out of compassion need.
rather than slamming the door

on all those with whom we disagree,

may we step out on the porch

to share a cup of coffee.
rather than pulling up 

the built-in thesaurus 

on our devices so we 

have all the words to stun

others into silence,

may we turn it off

so we can listen instead.

rather than watching the new

family working to get

the moving van unloaded

before the storm hits,

may we gather some neighbors

and lend them our help.

rather than being the folks

we have always been,

may we try every moment

to become who you long

us to be.

(c) 2025 Thom M. Shuman

Venmo: @Thom-Shuman