Keep Me Sweet Lord

LORD, YOU KNOW BETTER THAN I KNOW MYSELF THAT I AM
GROWING OLDER AND WILL SOMEDAY BE OLD. KEEP ME FROM
GETTING TALKATIVE, PARTICULARLY FOR THE FATAL HABIT
OF THINKING THAT I MUST SAY SOMETHING ON EVERY SUBJECT
AND ON EVERY OCCASION.

RELEASE ME FROM CRAVING TO STRAIGHTEN OUT EVERYBODY'S
AFFAIRS. MAKE ME THOUGHTFUL, BUT NOT MOODY; HELPFUL BUT
NOT BOSSY. WITH MY VAST STORE OF WISDOM IT SEEMS A PITY NOT
TO USE IT ALL, BUT YOU KNOW, LORD, THAT I WANT A FEW
FRIENDS AT THE END. KEEP MY MIND FROM THE RECITAL OF
ENDLESS DETAILS-GIVE ME WINGS TO COME TO THE POINT.

I ASK FOR GRACE ENOUGH TO LISTEN TO THE TALES OF OTHERS'
PAINS. SEAL MY LIPS ON MY OWN ACHES AND PAINS-THEY ARE
INCREASING, AND MY LOVE OF REHEARSING THEM IS BECOMING
SWEETER AS THE YEARS GO BY. HELP ME TO ENDURE THEM WITH
PATIENCE.

I DARE NOT ASK FOR IMPROVED MEMORY, BUT FOR A GROWING
HUMILITY AND A LESSENING COCKSURENESS WHEN MY MEMORY
SEEMS TO CLASH WITH THE MEMORIES OF OTHERS. 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 WOMAN IS
ONE OF THE CROWING WORKS OF THE DEVIL.

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.

WRITTEN BY AN ANONYMOUS SEVENTEENTH CENTURY NUN.