How Age Changed My Prayers?

When I was younger, like younger-younger, my prayers were all about material and shallow things. I did not figure that out until recently when I was listening to a random podcast, and the podcaster threw a deep and personal question: How your age changed your prayers?

I realized that, wow, my prayers were indeed lame then, but they all have substance now.

My prayers started to really deepen, probably, five years ago—when our mother underwent major surgery. The reality of me growing up alongside my parents growing old hit me so hard.

My prayers have changed since then, albeit it still follows the format of St. Ignatius of Loyola’s Consciousness Examen which I have learned during college. When praying about the next day, this is how my pleas go:

1. I pray that I may be reminded every day how much He loves me and that He is enough so I will not have to look for it from material things or other people. Whether we like or not, the people we love like our family, friends, and special someone will fail us because they, too, are human. Like us, our loved ones are also lacking. But, not Him. His love and grace are abundant, it actually overflows.

2. I pray for my health. Gosh, I never realized how important it was until I learned that a number of acquaintances of the same age passed away a few years back because of serious illnesses. I also pray for my safety because, let’s admit it, making our country’s streets safe was one of this government’s broken and unfulfilled promises. Oh, please, don’t get me started!

3. I pray for my parents’ health and safety, as well as for my siblings’ and loved ones’. A loved one’s sickness or death is that one thing that I dread to hear.

4. I pray to be kind (in words, in actions, and in thoughts) because I don’t think that I’m already kind enough to ask God to make me kinder. Haaay, this is one of my demons that I always battle with every single day.

5. I pray for my small, big, and everything-in-between-dreams especially the ones that are planted by God in my heart, and that I may be able to achieve all of these so I can also help other people who are neither my family nor friends.

6. I pray for a faithful, kind, and responsible husband, and may that person become the reason for me to become closer to Him. Funny because I never thought I am, like ever, going to pray for this. You know, tita is aging and I don’t want to play games anymore. Lol.

7. I pray for our country (I really do! All the things that are happening and all the bad news that we hear every single night and day are so sickening!) and all the voters who keep on electing trash people to the office.

I think that’s pretty much it.

How age changed my prayers? Aside from falling asleep while praying the rosary, I think age has drastically helped me improve my relationship with God.

I think the beauty of aging is that as I mature, I also learn to value what matters most. I learn to pray genuinely for people and for dreams that are dear to me, while all others remain noise. And when I have identified what really counts, I raise it all to the Big Guy up there who makes everything possible according to His plans.