I am routinely offered the opportunity to wish a fellow sojourner well on their road to personal recovery. Each time the greeting card passes to me, I write the same words,
"Another day. Another miracle." Depending on my relationship with the individual, I may add an additional sentiment or two, but the simple truth remains the same: All you have is today, and if you have today, you are blessed. But how many of us are truly present for each moment of our lives? And if we are always rushing from one moment to the next, what happens to the one we are in? Recently, I heard a woman say that when she opens her eyes each morning, she focuses her attention on three things that she is grateful for. Her practice opens a space in her heart that allows her to approach the day from a place of
abundance rather than
lack. Making a mental list of the people, places, and/or things that she holds dear puts her in a position to attract more of the same into her day. Compare my friend's habit with the way many of us awaken. A litany of details about the day ahead usually crowd out any meditative or contemplative work, and we are off and running, trading the serenity of the present moment for the insanity of believing we don't have enough time in the day to get it all done. Author Marianne Williamson writes, "A miracle is a shift in perception." What if you shift your perception and inhabit this one moment, fully, lovingly, and with all of your being? What if you simply resided in the next moment, and the one after that? What do you imagine would happen? I think I know. Another day. Another miracle.
