Yesterday, I turned 41. I started a new tradition last year, to give myself a blessing for the year. It’s a blessing that brings together what I have learned about life in the previous year. Here is my blessing for this year:
May you have perspective:
That little moments have a big impact, and end up being our most treasured memories.
That “no” to what we think we want ends up being a “yes” to something better.
That what we eat and drink has smell and taste and texture. That it tells an amazing story of where it came from, and ends up being a prophecy of where we will go.
That what is in front of us (lift your eyes from your screen… what is in front of you?) is precious and extraordinary, even if it seems normal and ordinary. And that because of that it deserves our full attention and admiration.
That we CAN move mountains. But we can’t just talk about moving them, we have to physically pick up rocks and carry them. And we can’t carry too many rocks at the same time, no matter how talented we are, because we will get tired and give up. And we can’t carry all the rocks by ourselves, because some boulders require a team.
And that no matter how high the ambition, how overwhelming the challenge, how busy the routine, the only question that matters is: What is the best way for me to use my energy, my talents, my time and my attention in this moment that I am in? And life has a mysterious way of giving us the answer.