Each New Day

In an old Winnie the Pooh comic strip, Pooh and Piglet take an evening walk. They mostly walk in silence. Finally, Piglet asks, “When you wake up in the morning, Pooh, what’s the first thing you say to yourself?”

“What’s for breakfast?” answers Pooh. And then Pooh asks, “And what do you say, Piglet?” Piglet responds, “I say, I wonder what exciting thing is going to happen today?”

I wonder what you say first thing in the morning. 

I once heard it said that there are two kinds of people in the world, those who either wake up and say, “Good morning, Lord!” Or, those by saying, “Good Lord, it’s morning.”

Whether you are a morning person or not, in those first few moments of the day you have an opportunity to set the tone and attitude for the entire day ahead. Spiritual leader Thich Nhat Hahn suggests we start each day with a smile. He claims, “Smiling helps you approach the day with gentleness and understanding.” Others recommend beginning with prayer, meditation, quiet time, journaling, or even writing a short gratitude list.

How we start out each morning, really sets the course for the day. Small rituals can really help us center and stay centered. They put us in touch with our own hearts and minds. They grant space for God and enable us to approach each new day with wonder, expectation, and joy.

Let us pray: Loving God, no matter how we began this morning, no matter what stress or burdens we may be carrying, grant us a new beginning to this day. From this point on, we will expect to see your hand at work in our lives and in the world around us. Amen.