As I’ve mentioned here before, one of the richest memories of my life is how I used to get up at 5:30 in the morning with my dad. It was our time. We’d eat GrapeNuts and tell each other about the miracle(s) we’d seen the day before. I still try to like GrapeNuts and I still try to look for miracles every day.

Finding the miracles has been harder for me lately. I might notice (my word for 2015) lovely people, places, or things, but I’ve allowed circumstances, over which I feel powerless, to cloud my ability to recognize them as miracles. That’s gotta change.

Here’s how I’m going to change it. Yes/And. I completely accept the reality that YES there are many things going on the world, over which I have no control. AND while I continue to attend to what I can, I’m going to focus on the light, the good, the possible, along with the people doing the light, good, and possible.

YES, the divisions, gloom, fear, and darkness will still be around. My focus, however, will not be as glued to it, as it has been lately. I’m going to focus on the power of miracles. When I find myself tempted to dwell in the negative longer than is necessary, I’m going to seek out AND people, places, and things. AND people, places and things are the miracles Daddy and I used to share with each other daily. I’ll share some of them with you here.

I woke this morning to the news of terrifying attacks on London. It took my breath away. That’s been happening a lot lately. I find myself holding my breath, waiting for The Next Bad Thing to happen.  And then I remember to exhale, inhale, repeat.  

Yes, my breathing doesn’t prevent horrible attacks from happening. And it does help me live, look around, and love.  

That’s a start.              

On this sacred day of Pentecost in Christian and Shavuot in Jewish lives, I’m choosing to focus my attention on the:

• miraculous power of the Holy Spirit;
• breath of God;
• word of the Lord;
• and the unimaginable harvest of the Lord.

“Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love.”