Blessing for Parents at the Close of the School Year

As we reach the close of this most unusual and challenging school year, I'm feeling many emotions all at once.  Jewish wisdom invites us to mark these moments in time with blessings.  I offer these words for all of us who have been caring for the children in our midst.

May we allow ourselves to exhale.
May we feel relief alongside our exhaustion.
It was uncertain and imperfect.
But our children learned and grew.
We witnessed resilience and flexibility come through.
We found masks that fit.
We remembered the daily health forms.
We stayed home and got tested for the community's sake and our own peace of mind.
We balanced physical risk and mental health.
Our teachers reimagined their classrooms and routines.
Our kids learned to sit at desks and all sorts of computer skills.
We learned how to keep them company and let them be.
We discovered new depths of fear and new sources of gratitude.
Each phase came with a pivot, and we found our way through.

Source of Life and Love,
Holy One of Blessing,
Thank you for the gifts of our precious lives,
For the strength to take on challenges small and large,
For the support we feel when we reach out to one another.
Grateful are we for reaching this season of the year.