At the Turning of a Brand New Day

You gaze at the empty page, now illuminated by the morning sun. What will you do with it? What will you write? A brand new twenty-four hours lays open before you.

Will your words be prose, the story of something worthwhile to the world? Will you use your day to share a story in need of telling?

Will your words be poetry, a song from the depths of the human spirit? Will you invoke the muse of beauty? Will you bring forth a hymn of praise?

Will your words be information, needed knowledge for one who struggles? Will you give instructions from your experience?

Will your words be encouragement, hope for those living in hard situations? Will you offer goodness, truth, and love?

Will your words be mindful, a call for yourself and others back to this present moment? Will you wake us from distractions and worry?

Will your words be gratitude, thanksgiving offered for the bountiful blessings before you? Will you appreciate the gifts you have received?

So many possibilities. So many options. How you use this day is up to you. You can use it for ill or for good. You can use it for hatred or for compassion.

The page appears white — the canvas yet untouched. It seems blank, and yet it is not.

trees slain by cold steel
with violence crash to the earth
to become paper

You step into this new day with all that has happened before. Your experiences, beliefs, relationships, decisions, dreams, and everything else are a part of you. You bear the weight of the past.

Our failure goes with us.

We can’t escape the careless words. We didn’t mean for them to hurt. It was just a joke. We weren’t serious. But our words struck like a swinging ax — undermining trust raised up over the years.

We cannot hide from the times we failed to stand up those who are oppressed, poor, and hurting. If only we offered a gentle word of support. If only we did not laugh at the joke at their expense. If only we paused to offer a small assistance. But we didn’t. We stood by and watched them tumble.

We are unable to avoid the relationships we let slip away. It wasn’t that we meant to abandon these friends. But we got busy. We failed to take initiative. We let the friendships rot away.

We can’t run from all the things we should have done. Our greatest regrets come from moments we ought to have acted, but didn’t. Maybe we were too afraid. Maybe we were too lazy. For whatever reason, we did not act. We did nothing, and nothing is a choice.

And yet. And yet our shortcomings are not the only elements that make up this page.

white piece of paper
contains within it a tree
full of sun and rain

You carry wisdom. Understanding comes from your past experiences. You’ve learned from your failures. Wisdom comes from your ancestors and heroes. They teach you much. Knowledge comes from those who travel beside you. They help you along the way.

You carry love. You are fortunate to have wonderful friends. You are rich to have family — biological or otherwise. You are blessed to have the companionship of community.

You carry health. Your body allows you to work — to make a difference in the world. Your mind allows you think, process, and create. Your heart allows you to love, to be vulnerable, and to experience joy.

You carry the words you’ve written before. You don’t have to start from the beginning. Words continue: verses filled with poetry, epics of struggle and difficulty, lullabies of peace and contentment, and prose of victory and courage.

Life isn’t just about what you did wrong. It’s about what you did right.

skyward grows the tree
writing as it twists and turns
a living story

In this space, on this day, you live. The page contains possibility. No matter what has gone before, you can choose to stay the course or change directions. You have the chance to write your story.

What is past can be redone. Mistakes can be righted. Relationships can be mended. Bridges can be repaired. The scars will still remain, but that is for the better. They remind you of what you learned. They signify that you dared to live.

Bring your presence. Do your best with each moment that is given you. Today is all you can affect today. Right now is all you can influence right now.

Bring your compassion. In every situation, in every interaction, elevate those around you. Show them love and understanding.

Embrace what lies before you. Today is a gift.

***

How will you use this day? How will you honor this turning of another twenty-four hours?

You pick up your pen, and life scripts across the page. Today shall be a good day.

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PS: My gratitude goes to everyone who joined me in saying “thank you” and donated to charity water.