Miracles

It's something from the book I just read- a simple concept, but a profound one.  The idea that everyday is a miracle.  Regardless of what happens, regardless of how you feel.  That in the big picture realm every single day is a miracle.

The thought first occurred to me when I sat down to meditate this morning.  The sunlight reflecting off the freshly fallen snow hit me in the face illuminating not only the space behind my closed eyes but also covering my whole face with warmth.  There in the presence of so much cold, winter wasteland was sunlight, water, earth and air.  All present, all blessed.  And, in that particular moment, all for me.

I was acutely aware of it as I sat and breathed and chanted and the feeling didn't leave me once I got up to go about my day.

It didn't leave me when I was sitting in the doctor's office receiving some bad news that overtly spelled out my need to change some of my behaviors (diet-wise).  In fact, it made the message that much more overt: why not treat everyday as a miracle by taking better care of my physical body (my temple)?

It didn't leave me when I got to work and conversed with individuals who are working on their own life changes, their own self-care, their own souls.  Another life-changing act that I perform everyday, often without even thinking about it.

It didn't leave me even as I received a concrete kick in the ass at our company staff meeting and noticed my initial response, something that I would have previously dismissed, and identified it as my intuition (my gut).  And as I marveled at how much more comfortable I was in listening to the internal, non-logical voice I felt grateful for how much I've changed: what a completely different person I've become.  I can remember a time in the not-too-distant past when I would have responded to such news as a victim: felling wronged and hurt and powerless.  And now, because of all this work I've been doing on myself, the answer was clear and direct: I deserve better.  Period.  No victim mindset, no woe-is-me.  Just clear sight and motivation to change.

It's something that's relatively new for me: reacting to bad news with clarity and proactive identification.  Seeing the terrible situation as a needed opportunity to change.  Almost looking forward to the challenge.

I've been pretty good at seeing the miracles on the good days: the sunny days, the happy days, the great days.  It's kind-of new to see the miracle on the bad days, the emotional days, the ass-kicking days.  But damned if it doesn't prove the point better than any of those great days ever could: EVERYDAY is a miracle.