Whether you are religious or not, I believe that everyone prays. We pray that our parents don’t find out we stole a candy bar. We pray that we pass that math test. We pray that our children are safe. We pray that we get off with a warning and not a speeding ticket. We pray we get that job. We pray that we lose those last stubborn pounds before the wedding. We pray that a loved one gets better. We pray that our candidate or team wins. We pray we win the lotto.

Yes, regardless of our flavour of spirituality, we all do pray. We have no problem praying for the things and situations we want.

But I want to talk about the type of prayer that has no words. That seeks nothing other than perhaps comfort and a desire to connect with something greater than ourselves. That prayer that comes from a depth within us that we don’t even understand. From the core of our grief. The swelling of our joy. The puddle of our tears.

These are the prayers that require no supplication to a deity. These prayers have no words. They are uttered in a sob, a sigh, a gasp. I believe there is a spirit, an animating force within all of us that utters these prayers for us when we are unable to find the words. These prayers push through our lips and are carried in the air releasing the emotions that we hold fast inside.

I pray like this every day. I no longer pray to win the lotto. Instead, I raise my head to the sky and let my whispered “Thank You” rise for as I get older, I realize how much I have to be thankful for. My prayer for you is that you always have something for which to express gratitude.