A Prayerful Wish For You As A New Day Begins

Dear friends,

The best of good news,

You are here now,

In this place,

In this present moment.

Now you might think this is no big deal,

I was here yesterday and the day before,

And what use did I make of all these yesterdays?

And besides,

I'm not even feeling enthusiastic about today,

There's work to be done which is causing me worry,

And I have things from the past that are troubling me.

Even so,

Bear with me as you set out on this new,

Unique day.

A time for reflection like this will brighten up your darkest day.

This is why it's important to find a little time for reflection as the day begins.

I invite you now to close your eyes,

But only if that feels comfortable for you.

Relax,

And allow yourself to just be for these few minutes,

As I light a candle for your intentions.

An opening thought.

The light of this candle reminds us of the light that greets the start of each new day.

May we find that our light and our love grows brighter with every new day that dawns.

Each day,

May we share with the world the bright light of hope,

The gentle light of kindness,

The welcoming light of possibility.

As we make our way through this new day,

Clouds may come along and they may dim the light for a time,

But just as the sun is always shining above the clouds,

So may our light and our love continue to shine through any period of darkness or doubt.

Let's have a one-minute pause now.

Welcome back.

My wishes for you as this new day begins.

May you and those you love be well.

May you and they be free from physical and mental suffering.

May you and the people you love live in a state of peace and calm.

May you and they live in the present moment,

Free from pointless regrets about the past,

Remembering that the past cannot be changed,

But the lessons learned from past mistakes can make for a better future.

May you and the people you care about live in the present moment,

Free from useless worries or concerns about the future.

Wasn't it Mark Twain who told us he had worried about many things that never came to pass?

Yes,

We pay reasonable attention to the past,

Learning its lessons,

And we make reasonable plans for the future,

Setting foundations.

But we can't wish for the past to be different,

Just as it's pointless to simply daydream about the future.

Let's leave the if-onlys to one side.

Instead,

Let us do what we can in the present to make up for our past mistakes and to help bring about the future that we wish to have.

May we all enjoy the happiness and peace that comes from living in the now.

Let's have another pause at this stage,

Just one minute.

Welcome back.

My wishes for you continue.

May you always be supported by friends and family who care for you.

May you find joy in the everyday blessings,

Happiness in the simple pleasures of life,

And in a world of constant change,

May you have the resilience to meet any challenges that may lie ahead.

May you find strength in times of trouble,

Remembering in difficult times,

As well as in the good times,

That this too shall pass.

May all your actions be guided by wisdom,

Compassion and a sense of purpose.

We are told laughter is the best medicine,

So may you seek out moments of happiness every day.

And every single day,

Find some reason to laugh like a child.

Whatever you do,

Find some reason to laugh,

Especially learn to laugh at yourself.

There are lots of reasons why you should do that.

If all else fails,

You can find a book,

A record or a video that will make you smile.

Whatever it is,

Be sure to find something that will make you laugh out loud and laugh every single day.

May you remember to be thankful for all the blessings in your life.

May you never take for granted the people who love you,

These people whose love for you is never in doubt.

They are a priceless gift in the changing fortunes of time.

May you be someone whose dedication is never in doubt,

Always willing to extend a helping hand to someone in need.

The simplest gesture makes all the difference.

And since most people like to help,

Make it your business to ask for help from someone else,

Even if you believe you don't need help at all.

Give someone the opportunity to do a good deed.

We're going to pause for reflection now,

Just 60 seconds.

Welcome back.

What about grudges and ill will?

Regrets and resentment can eat us up if we let them.

May you manage to let go of past regrets and resentments,

Generously forgiving others for their failings.

You'll benefit more than they will by your acts of forgiveness.

And in all this,

Not forgetting to forgive yourself as well.

May you be free from worry and anxiety,

And may you be able to meet each day with calmness.

I'm sure you will have come across the saying,

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

It does,

You know.

So may you remember to take time off.

Time to look after your health.

Time to take care of your physical and your mental well-being.

Above all,

Make it a habit of stopping to do nothing at all.

Stopping with no agenda is a rare activity these days.

Give it a try and you will find out how good it is.

And always pay attention to the wonderful world around you.

Ray Bradbury tells us,

See the world,

It's more fantastic than any dream.

May you never forget to notice,

With awe and wonder,

The marvel of the world around you,

And the even greater marvel that you exist in this miracle.

How can this be?

And what can this mean?

Notice and reflect every day.

May you be a source of light and love to the people you encounter today and every day.

May all our lives be filled with love,

Kindness and peace.

I've come across a reading,

The source of which is unknown,

But the content of the reading is appropriate for a new day reflection.

So I'd like to share it with you now.

There is a challenge and a blessing in the choices of our lives.

May we,

In the privacy of the space behind our closed eyes,

Light candles of the heart,

To honour the power of our choices this day and every day.

For the choices that have hurt others,

May a candle of forgiveness light our heart this day.

For choices that have resulted in a feeling of shame,

May the light of compassion heal our souls.

For the choices that have harmed our bodies or our minds,

May a candle of tenderness help us to chart a new course.

For the choices to remain silent when the voices of justice called our name,

May a candle of commitment give courage to the darkest night.

For the choices to turn away from loving,

May a candle of hope inspire us to take risks anew.

For our choices that give birth to a spirit of change,

May the light of celebration strengthen us as we walk unfamiliar ways.

As we face the challenge of this day,

This new day,

Take a moment to write it on your heart,

That every day is the best day of your life.

And there you have it dear friends,

A prayerful wish for you as the new day begins.

I'll blow out this candle now.

May the image of the smoke that rises from this candle fill the space between us with thoughts of love,

Peace and kindness,

Bringing light and hope and happiness to all our days.

Namaste.