Not exactly a prayer - a benediction? A blessing?

Only not really a benediction or a blessing, either, in the way that "May you live in interesting times" is not really a blessing.

For a time, I participated in a CUUPs group, and many rituals. One of the parts of the ritual that I often found quite moving came toward the end. A plate with some food was passed around (usually some fruit, and usually grapes), and each person was to feed the next person in the circle while saying "May you never hunger." (In the group I was in, it was acceptable to hand the person the piece of fruit if either party was uncomfortable with feeding or being fed.) Likewise, a cup of non-alcoholic substance was passed with the message "May you never thirst."

I said, once, that should I ever marry I would like this to be a part of the ritual. Now, however, I'm not sure.

I got to thinking about this last night, and came to the conclusion that maybe it isn't a good thing to wish that someone never "hunger" or "thirst." I realize, given the context of the words in the ritual, that what is being banished is physical hunger that can be sated by food, and physical thirst that can be sated by drink. And yet there are so many hungers and thirsts, not all of which are necessarily negative. A hunger for affection. A thirst for knowledge.

Of course, when one hungers or thirsts for something, it does imply that something is missing from one's life. On the other hand, that hunger or thirst can drive one to seek that which is missing. We are meant to have appetites, after all, and to deny those appetites is really not very healthy.

Although I do wish any reader never hunger for food and never thirst for drink, I do not wish away other hungers or thirsts that drive one's "free and responsible search for meaning."