“Attention is that doorway to gratitude, the doorway to wonder, the doorway to reciprocity.”¹

I love that quote. I think I appreciate it so much right now because I really crave to give my full attention to something, someone. I want to notice, to be alive to the world, to be awake to what’s in front of me. But that is hard work and I am not always willing or able to put in for that kind of presence, that kind of stillness.

But today is a new day. And I’m trying to give myself more fully to the world around me – to the world within me too.

Here is a prayer based on that quote from above, a morning run and a prayer by Kate Bowler titled, “A blessing for learning to delight again (maybe today could be more than bearable. It could be beautiful.).” I found writing this prayer was a way for me to notice. Maybe you could write one today too?

Good and gracious God, may this day be more than bearable, but let it be beautiful. May you fill me with stillness to notice. To notice:

The hungry morning skunk that scurries in front of me.

The lazy butterfly who is up with the first rays of sun.

The family gathered in the house, tripping over each other and all.

The dog who is a very good girl.

The child who smashes spinach pancakes into his face.

The gentle-moving man with his gentle-moving dog on a walk before 7am.

The bees, birds, groundhogs and all else that wakes me to this day.

Help me to notice the good and great all around me. And let me not be immune to people’s pain either — you are there too.

O God, help me to notice you in everyone and everything. Amen.

1. Robin Wall Kimmerer, “The Intelligence of Plants,” On Being with Krista Tippett, 12, May, 2022, accessed 25, August, 2022, https://onbeing.org/programs/robin-wall-kimmerer-the-intelligence-of-plants-2022/.