The hard part

Is to find yourself at home with where and what you are

And still remain amazed.

(John Koethe, "Beyond Belief")

We live in a trance so much of the time, don't we? Here, but not here. Restless, never really at home.

We carry around a vague sense of unhappiness with who we are and where we are, and therefore look at our screens so we don't have to look around or look within.

But what if we could be right where we are - however ordinary - and exactly who we are - however unfinished and scruffy - and even so, remain amazed?

What if we remain amazed at our sleeping and our waking? At the way the water boils so we can make coffee? At the way the swirly fog rises off the mug?

What if we could remain amazed at the people we first see every morning, even if that is just our own gorgeous face in the mirror?

What if we could remain amazed every time we get into our car and it starts and we drive off to wherever?

What if we could remain amazed that our legs carry us where our minds want to go, that our tongue can taste sweet, salty, sour, bitter, umami, that our eyes see in color, that our ears hear birdsong and fire crackle, symphony and gentle whisper?

What if we could remain amazed that our friends stick with us through thick and thin, that our family - however dysfunctional - is ours, that food tastes amazing and fizzy drinks tickle our tongues and babies make us smile and the sun shines and sometimes rain or snow fall from the sky above?

What if we could remain amazed that we enjoy sharing a meal with others, that a hot shower feels so fantastic, that gardens grow and our lungs breathe oxygen and that kisses are so delicious and hugs soothe our souls?

What if we could remain amazed that laughter, as some of the world's greatest theologians have said, is a taste of eternity?

What if we could find ourselves at home

with where and what we are ...

and still

remain

amazed?