[Inspired by the poem “You Deserve a Lover,” attributed to Frida Kahlo.]
We light this chalice
for the ones who arrive disheveled,
carrying questions, contradictions,
grief half-healed, and dreams still raw.
You deserve a place
that welcomes your becoming,
that knows your fire is not too much,
your silence not too little.
A place that sees your shadows
and still reaches for your light.
You deserve a community
that listens when you speak your truth,
that sits with you in turmoil
and rises with you in joy,
that believes in your voice
even when it trembles.
You deserve a circle
that brings you hope,
and coffee, and poetry.
A place to rest.
A place to rise.
Let this flame be that place:
not perfect,
but possible.
Not without cracks,
but full of light.
Welcome home.
Note: These chalice lighting words pair well with the chalice extinguishing “Let Us Be That Circle.”