I’m not a morning person. This is an established fact. I’ll cling to my pillow as long as I can before finally putting my feet to the floor. This morning, as I refilled my coffee, I glanced outside and was amazed at the beauty of my little corner of the world.

I grabbed my phone, took my coffee, and went out on the patio for a few moments of recharging. Caffeine helps of course, but the real reason I took a break was for my soul. I need these few moments to remember that I am not alone in this wild, crazy rollercoaster of life. It’s hard to remember that in the well-defined lot lines of suburbia. And also the well-defined silos of age, race, and income in our culture…

Stewart, of course, as OPINIONS as to why I should not be outside. He has been fed his breakfast (those sad eyes are lying!) but he would like to explore the morning with me. The problem is, he is not willing to wear a harness… so I am not willing to risk his bolting off into places unknown.

Every moment of this morning meditation was full of birdsong and the hint of the flowers’ perfume on the breeze. The water feature gurgled beside the patio, and the dappled sunlight came through the leaves.

In this present moment, I say THANK YOU and AMEN. God’s love and graciousness surrounds me. I am reminded of this quote from Anne Lamott’s book Thanks. Help. Wow. The Three essential prayers:

Gratitude begins in our hearts and then dovetails into behavior. It almost always makes you willing to be of service, which is where the joy resides. It means that you are willing to stop being such a jerk. When you are aware of all that has been given to you, in your lifetime and the past few days, it is hard not to be humbled, and pleased to give back.

Yes. All this. Amen.