What do you do when you first open your eyes in the morning? What are your first thoughts? How do you begin your day?

I attend St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Austin. The minister is Dr. Jim Rigby. Some of you may have heard of him or read a quote from him. He is often on the cusp of the response to injustice – globally, nationally, and within in our own neighborhood(s). I am always challenged by his words, his thoughts, and the thoughts I have that his words have stirred. In the words of Jack Nicholson in “As Good As It Gets,” he “makes me want to be a better person.”

A recent Sunday’s scripture was Psalms 139. I wish I could quote it as we heard it. It was a modern, progressive translation from the Inclusive Bible. During his sermon, he said that each of us belongs to: ourselves, others, and to the world/universe/nature. It was a good sermon, as usual. He made a suggestion that I want to risk doing.

Here’s what he asked us to do. When we first wake in the morning, we are to remember that we are unique, valued and loved. He went on to say that this isn’t to make us believe that we are each the ultimate person and that those who aren’t like us are inferior. NO. That would never be what he was saying. We are to think this and remember this while we remember, also, that we are all connected and we are all loved. Just wake and remember these things.

From the way I was brought up, at first this sounded a little bit like a form of bragging. Maybe you were brought up the same way. But, we’re not asked to say these things to someone else – just to ourselves.

I bought a “thought a day” journal and in it I’m going to risk not only having that thought and saying it to myself but writing it. Each morning I’ll write that I’m unique, valued and loved. I’ll also continue with my usual journal writing but this new little journal will be to remind myself every single day of my uniqueness, value and lovableness.

We won’t have world peace because I do this. But it’s a start. Imagine. Just imagine. If each of us started each day acknowledging that we are unique, valued and loved and going about our day feeling this and allowing others to feel it, too, what a different day it would be. What a different world it might become.

I’m going to risk it. Will you risk it with me?

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Mary Ann Taylor is a retired banker who's embarrassed to be technoligically illiterate, but proud to be Laura's mother. She realizes that at her advanced age, she's done more risking than she has yet to do, but is willing to risk this.
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