There are a billion beautiful things in our lives if we get in touch with the present moment.
From the warmth of the sun to a breeze against our face,
A hug from a friend,
And the breath that we take.
When we focus our mind,
Our path awaits.
This is an act of noticing.
Noticing what is in us,
What is behind us,
And what is in front of us.
Our lives before give perspective,
Our lives in front can give us hope,
And our life right now can give us peace.
I invite you to close your eyes,
Or have them at a soft gaze,
And focus on your breath.
Each breath gives us life.
And in this life,
We have experienced many beautiful things.
The question is,
Were we aware,
Did we notice?
This is not a point of judgment,
Simply a question.
Imagine you are a baby.
To this version of you,
Everything is new.
The toes on your feet,
The skin on your body,
The sights that you see,
Or the things that you touch.
Everything is new.
As we grow older,
There are less and less things that feel new.
The novelty of life has often worn off.
We look for more exciting ways to feel as we once did,
Only to feel nothing once that moment has passed.
We can start to find joy in the seemingly mundane just by looking at the world with the eyes of a baby.
From the moment we wake up,
We can say to ourselves,
I've woken up,
I am alive,
And what joy and luck I have to be here.
Or when we take a bite of food,
Feeling the texture and taste,
You can sit and be present with it for a few moments,
Acknowledging the nutrients and energy it's providing you.
When we spend time with friends,
We can be present in the joy they bring,
Or in the comfort of being held in shared space.
We can think,
I am so lucky to have these people in my life.
There is always something to be grateful for.
When we find our minds spiraling into an abyss,
We are not attempting to push our feelings aside or to disregard them.
We are just acknowledging that joy and gratitude can also exist.
Be present with both.
I invite you to take the next few moments to connect with the youngest version of you and identify five things that brought you joy today.
They don't need to be extravagant.
It can be the smallest moments,
Such as the sun rising or the first breath we took.
If it feels right for you,
Allow a soft smile to touch your lips.
As you go on about your day or night,
I invite you to live with youthful eyes,
Seeing yourself and the world with awe.
Take a few moments more to be with yourself,
And when you're ready,
You can softly open your eyes.
