Sometimes life calls us to be still, to be silent and to pay attention to the Divine nature of everything around us. In that stillness, we come to recognize the beauty of the song and the frankness of the wounds, the magic of the insignificant and the terror of the unknown.

And from there, we return the message to others so that, in turn, they wake up and start looking at life again as if it were the first time.

It doesn’t matter what brought you here, or what path stripped away your protective layers to leave you trembling in the wonder of life. You are here now, and so I want to share with you a vision of the things that touch our hearts. I want to give you a glimpse of the intricate and miraculous web of life and see recognition light up your eyes, even when these things awaken the deep memory of the infinite possibilities of love despite the vastness of an incomprehensible universe.

Today I woke up to the symphony of birds whose names I will never know and marveled at the incredible complexity of their harmonies as they enthusiastically welcomed the arrival of a bright new day. He spoke to me of joy.

On the street, parents walked their children to school, their little hands engulfed in his, smiling as they tilted their heads to listen to the stories that flowed from those rosy lips and soft cheeks, excited at the possibilities of a new day, and that spoke to me. of hope.

I remembered the way a sloth moved slowly through the branches of a tree hanging upside down so that its baby could cling to its belly without fear of falling, and I felt love.

At the base of the stairs, the fern finally managed to break through the cracks in the stone to spread its tiny leaves towards the warm sun, and it speaks of courage.

The way young people lean excitedly, expectantly into their future, even when they don’t know what it holds, and it speaks of confidence.

And the way the old dog stretches out to let the morning sun warm his stiff joints and surrenders to each present moment.

And the way the car hesitates for a moment before shifting into gear, reminding me of my own doubts.

And the way the grackles peck at the green oranges in the trees, carefully preening themselves with the oils, then announcing their gleaming handiwork with loud squawks before flying off to what they’ll do next. And I am reminded that self-care precedes all service.

And the way a sentence can jump right off the page to pierce your heart with its honesty and truth, so you have to stop for a minute to experience its awe and beauty.

And the way you sometimes catch a glimpse of someone in a vulnerable moment and see within them the soul that is there, and your heart fills with compassion and love for their innocence.

Yes, I know that there is a lot of pain and suffering in our world. Good things end and bad things linger, we fail and we fight and hurt, battered by loss and accident and tragedy until one day we slip into the darkness beyond it all.

But I also know that we have incredible potential and that our experiences can make us kinder and more loving if we let them. I know we have a choice in how we respond to life: dismiss dissonance as nonsense and huddle behind walls, or embrace the things that touch us even when we don’t understand their full meaning.

Life speaks to us in a myriad of ways that cannot be measured or understood unless we listen carefully and then are able to accept the messages of love, courage, and hope. I know that life can be a beautiful dialogue with our souls, and for that I am deeply grateful.