The Seeker

I do not ride on camels
through a wind-swept desert.
I do not carry gifts
that are fit for a king.
I do not see the star
that guides the stalwart riders.

Yet I, too, am seeking.
I, too, am longing.
I go among busy days
yearning for the Unknown One.

In the breath of a prayer,
in the care of a friend,
in the beauty of a bird,
a star-like glimpse comes to me.

A flicker of hope arises,
enough to stay in the fray,
to keep searching for the One
who is slowly revealed
in tiny sparks of daily encounters.

Holy One, you who reveal,
make manifest your presence.
Open the eyes of my heart.
Awaken my unattuned spirit.

Bring me to full attention,
so that I come to know,
in my every moment,

your radiant star of guidance.

-Joyce Rupp
from Out of the Ordinary
prayers, poems and reflections
for every season