My Beloved

[Woody]

Many voices ask for our attention.

There is a voice that says, "Prove that you are a good person."

Another voice says, "You'd better be ashamed of yourself."

There also is a voice that says, "Nobody really cares about you,"

and one that says, "Be sure to become successful, popular, and powerful."

But underneath

all these often very noisy voices

is a still, small voice that says,

"You are my Beloved, my favor rests on you."

That's the voice we need most of all to hear.

To hear that voice, however,

requires special effort; it requires solitude,

silence,

and a strong determination to listen.

That's what prayer is.

It is listening

to the voice

that calls us

"my Beloved."

—Henri Nouwen (in "Bread for the Journey")

[Woody]

You're welcome Dgrimm. I did think it was good.