I was recently sitting at a local megachurch doing some work. Yes, they open the atrium every day for entrepreneurs and provide free coffee and WiFi.
I was approached by 2 strangers, turned out their names were James and James. We spoke for quite a while. They were in town to participate in clinical research studies at a local CRO to make some money. We then got to talking about what we each did, mostly what I do, to be honest. And I spoke about developing an initiative called Cincinnati Hacking Homelessness.
James then told me that he had been a missionary in Haiti after the hurricane. He sent me to a website of his mission with hundreds of pictures of the devastation and what his group had done. At one point he told me how he had seen so many miracles while he was working there and how there were so few miracles back home, in the United States.
It was one of those moments of clarity for me…
I looked out the huge plate-glass windows of the church where I was drinking free coffee and connecting to the entirety of the world-wide-web, and looked at the shopping center across the street, the restaurants, grocery stores, coffee shops, fitness centers… I saw thousands of people scurrying about their lives in relative peace, safety, and prosperity. I saw the massive wealth of the church I was working at and the surrounding community, one that is considered less than wealthy in Cincinnati.
It hit me that the reality is that we simply ignore the miracles all around us daily. I’ve heard this said many times, but it was the first time I understood.
Because of the incredible gifts that have been bestowed on us, we miss the miracles. I won’t list them here. I hope you’ll take some time to think about it, and that you’ll take some time to look around you as you walk or drive to and fro today.
What are those miracles you are blessed with daily that you simply skip over?
Thank you Michael. I love your images of sitting in a large church on wifi and sipping coffee and conversing. Working/serving in sacred space, if you will. The scene seems like a bit of a miracle in my mind.
Each breath that we breathe into the miracle of our human bodies amazes me, time and again. Breathing deeply and freely fuels our entire being – body, mind, spirit, soul. Dis-ease, mistreatment of others, pain and sadness are eased when we reflect on the miracles of our being here on this planet.
One of my favorite places to work.
Lovely & so true!?
Thank you.
Michael, enjoyed your post and thought it interesting that it was stated that we have very few, if any, miracles here in the US. I,like you, see miracles all around us. Of course it all depends on what one consideres a miracle. If a miracle is only akin to turning water into wine, then yes maybe we don’t have much of that going on.
In my work, I categorize miracles as acts of creation, by anyone or anything. I see a miracle in the simple smile of an infant that can completely change the physiology of a depressed, angry adult when that baby looks up and just smiles with their whole being.
I believe we create miracles everyday through our thoughts and beliefs and then bringing into existence what we believe is possible.
I guess the adage is true, you will always see what it is you are looking for. Look for miracles and see what shows up. Blessings. http://www.livinginfullexpression.com
Thanks for your great example.
Every single day is a miracle. We sometimes neglect the gathering of audacious things with which we are surrounded, and become jaded in the realization that though the miracles about us are so “awesome and amazing” (are there two more misused or abused words in language than those two?) maybe they aren’t as amazing and awesome as something from yesterday or last week or a year ago, so we discount their miraculous nature. How life unwraps new things, sights, sounds, variety, texture, technology… leads me to believe that we are becoming too jaded, or not paying attention, or both. Not for me, I will glory in the little things, the overlooked, the seemingly insignificant… and probably think about them too much, and possibly over analyze them and give them too much significance. And then tell everyone else about them…
Can never tell of the wonder too much. Help remind the rest of us to look around and see the blessings all around us. Thank you.
I am in thought after your read and I just feel I cannot believe I get to work and live where I do. The air is clean, I have food grown in my back yard and locally in my belly, I am relatively healthy, I have people that love me and I love them who I have daily contact with, I can gaze across at the birds perched in the ocean, and I get to watch unforgettable sunsets to the West. This is one big miracle of life and I am blessed that I am here and I try not to skip over that I have so incredibly much. Because I sure do. Thank you ever so kindly, Michael. I so appreciate your work.
Thank you. I have to constantly remind myself of the miracles around me. I like ot take the time that I walk my dog to look around and be amazed. I was grateful the chance to be reminded while I was “out and about.”
Powerful reminder. Strong Ink
Thank you.