The Blessing of “No”

It’s not a word we hear enough of right now

Children, begging their parents to say it

“Ghosting” culture, creating aching hearts 

Plans pursued, left to nebulous land

There is a deep blessing in “no—”

Psalm 16 lends the idea that

“My boundary lines have fallen in pleasant places”

The oceans

Have been boundary-ed 

By the tide 

By the shoreline 

Somehow our culture has left a crucial friendship 

With the word no.

Skirting around it with excuses—

As if it was a dirty word,

A word that caused pain

Or shut down

Or dismissiveness 

But no—

It frees us

For a better yes

May we learn to say no

With grace

And tact

And swiftness

May we learn to shut doors

So that we may walk through 

The right ones

May we take courage

And heart

Knowing that our no 

Brings a blessing

Of sorts

The bless-ed 

Articulation 

Of the “no” 

Sings 

Protection–

Of the sweetest kind.

It brings clarity

It makes way for fun

It’s the type of blessing 

That brings that 

Strong, passionate child

The sleep they require

To keep burning the next day

It’s the word that plans the party

Because other plans have been 

Denied 

It's the one 

That breeds 

Presence 

Of the deepest kind 

It helps us stay unscattered 

It helps us finish a thing

It keeps us out of danger 

Keeps us focused, 

To finish 

To the end

It’s the word of followthrough

Forsaking all others

For the One 

May we live 

In the blessing 

And simplicity 

Of the “no.”