I believe it’s never too late to say a prayer.

I know to whom I say mine, but to pray is to give thanks or request assistance from God “or an object of worship,” as my trusty online definition tells me. It’s giving in to the realization that you can’t always do it all and that not everything that has occurred has happened solely because of you; giving in doesn’t mean you’re giving up. It still requires effort on our part, but now our burdens are shared and our thanks is directed.

It could also be a request for assistance for someone else – assistance that you may not be able to provide.

The beauty of a prayer is that they can be said at any time, 24/7. The beauty of a prayer is that if you’ve never said one, it’s not too late to say one now.

Or if it’s been a while, that’s also OK.

They don’t always need to have a request. They can communicate gratitude, wonder, a simple question or simply be a time to confess something – frustration, confusion, even just a feeling of being directionless.

My mom sent me an email today that was difficult to read. I can’t imagine being in her shoes, since she actually saw it happen.

She said she’d been on the freeway and heard something that sounded like a collision, and as she looked in her rearview mirror, she saw a person that had somehow likely either been thrown from a vehicle or a motorcycle – who knows – and whose body was flying through the air. In a split-second, the body landed on the asphalt and was hit by a car. According to the CHP, it was a three-vehicle accident and there was a fatality.

I can’t imagine those final seconds being the last of my life. I can’t imagine getting the news about your son, daughter, spouse or friend and having to imagine what they went through or how everything transpired. I also can’t imagine that I’ve missed my chance to say a prayer – for the victim, for their loved ones, for the simple act of keeping them in the care of a being greater than us. In His care.

Tonight I am grateful for prayer, and tonight I say one in the wake of today’s horrific accident – because I believe it’s never too late.