In this hectic season help us to remember,
even the simplest actions count.
Let us pause and take a breath
to feel the miracle
of air filling and emptying within,
as though God is breathing into us.

Let our eyes really see.
How does sunlight glow on tree leaves?
How do stars glimmer in the night sky?
Help us pay attention.
What does an apple really taste like?

Let us walk outdoors and feel the air moving,
see clouds shifting or shimmering at sunset.
Help us shake hands or embrace
and feel the warmth of another human being.

Let us look a person in the eyes and
discover the sparkle of a fellow soul.
May we give and receive kindness,
for that is where God lives.

Poem may be used with attribution. Tina Datsko de Sánchez serves as Poet in Residence at the First Congregational Church of Long Beach. She is the author of the bilingual poetry book The Delirium of Simón Bolívar.