Lord, Keep me from the habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion. Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details, give me wings to get to the point.
I ask for grace enough to listen to the
tales of others' pains. Help me to endure them with patience. But seal my lips on my own aches and pains, they are increasing and my love of rehashing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by.
Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally it is possible that I may be mistaken. Keep me reasonably sweet; I do not want to be a saint, some of them are so hard to live with, but a sour old person
is one of the crowning works of a life gone astray.
Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places, and talents in unexpected people. And give me, O Lord, the grace to tell them so. Amen