FOR YOU ON THIS NEW YEAR'S DAY

This New Year soundlessly
settled over us as we slept.
A palpable calm holds this brittle cold beginning.
This morning brings an invitation to look back.
to remember those small unnoticed gestures of love.

The intentional smile, the kind word,
the rescued dog, or person, or maybe yourself.
The courage you used to meet the rawness of pain.
The hope you held despite the darkness.
The love you gave that wasn't returned.
The patience you displayed as things stayed the same.
The food you prepared, the laundry you did, the gift you gave,
The soft answer you offered to anger.
The long phone call,
the soup, the pie, the conversation.
All seem too small to matter.

But stop this icy first day.
Listen into the stillness.
"Well done, dear child, Well done”.

The morning also brings the invitation to look forward.
You might trouble yourself with warlike resolutions to lose weight,
to stop this, or start that.
But perhaps you can go gently
moment by moment
step by step.
Your attention, your intention set on only one thing.

May you breathe in the love of God
May you breathe out the love of God.