Mercy me....my prayer.....

Living here in the South, I've
heard this expression many, many
times.

I remember, as a little boy around
the age of 10 or 11, I came into
my grandma's house scared to
death. You see, there was a boy
named Jimmy who I had met on
the baseball field on the Crockett
Elementary School grounds.

I learned that Jimmy had just
been released from reform school.
That alone scared me. What
was worse, I said something that
made him mad at me. I don't have
a clue what I said, I just know that
he threatened to beat me up.

I was scared.

When I got to my Mama Murphy's
house, I told her that I had ran
almost the entire 3 blocks from
Crockett School. I explained to
her why and I remember that
all she said, over and over again
was, "Mercy me, mercy me,
mercy me."

I think it was her way of saying
a little prayer over me and for
the fear that I was feeling of
Jimmy beating me up.

That phrase has stuck with me
for the past 40 years. However,
today it has different meaning to
me than it did then.

'Mercy me' today, means me asking
for and showing forgiveness to
myself. It is a type of prayer of
divine and self forgiveness.

I'm allowing it to become more
than a simple expression of emotion.
I'm choosing to make it my prayer. A
prayer for forgiveness for myself.
A prayer that helps me to be much
easier on myself.

You too might want to try it.
Maybe a small thing. But small
things can have amazing results.

Much love and 'mercy' to you,
Michael