What will you do with this precious day?

This moment has never been before—ever.

Can you feel that?

Life is intrinsically creative.

New things are constantly emerging, growing, and dissolving, making way for what is yet to come.

We, too, are part of this ever-unfolding creative universe, yet we often let ourselves be weighed down by ‘shoulds,’ ‘musts,’ and ‘have-to’s.’

Our minds—constantly planning, grasping, and fearing—pull us away from the simple aliveness of now.

This, in a profound sense, is what it means to sin.

In the Christian New Testament, the word often translated as ‘sin’ originates from an ancient archery term meaning ‘to miss the mark.’ And unless we are fully present—alive to both the sorrows and the joys of life—we are indeed missing the mark.

The way back is hinted at in another often-misunderstood word: ‘repent.’ Its original meaning is not about guilt or shame but simply: ‘Stop. Turn around. Choose a different path’ - one that leads back to Presence.

But, how do we get back to Presence?

Zen master Suzuki Roshi talked about repeatedly returning to beginner’s mind—a state of open awareness, meeting each moment, fresh and new.

Jesus expressed something similar:

"Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:1-3)

The Buddha saw Sati - mindfulness - as the path to awakening this Presence.

But Presence alone is not enough.

The opening of the spiritual heart is also essential—the heart that holds kindness, compassion, wisdom, joy, and profound inner peace. These facets of the spiritual heart are like seeds within us, waiting to be nurtured and one of the most powerful ways of watering these seeds is through gratitude. Joy follows for, as Brother David Steindl-Rast reminds us, "It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful."

We see this wisdom echoed in the Hebrew Bible too. The author of psalm 118 wrote:

"This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it."
(Psalm 118:24, NKJV)

At the core of all of this is a deep realisation:

We are not entitled to anything.

Life itself is a gift.

13.8 billion years ago, we were hydrogen. Every physical thing was hydrogen. And through the infinite creativity of existence, all that we know, all that we love, all that we are—emerged.

Whether we call it grace, the unfolding of the cosmos, or the will of God (Inshallah—God willing), everything we experience is a miracle.

This is a new day.

What will you do with it?