Learning to live arms-wide-open takes practice. Just for today, I will practice. I will practice accepting the things I cannot change—a friend’s grief; a doctor’s furrowed brow; a winter cold. I will practice looking for things to be grateful for—a warm fire; a quiet moment; snow carried on the morning wind; laughter shared with a stranger. I will practice keeping an open mind, remembering that everyone I meet has something to teach me. And, when nobody is looking, I will practice standing up with my arms wide open, just as a reminder of the posture I want to live.
“[P]ractice is one of the most important words in the spiritual life. . . .” Sr. Macrina Wiederkehr
“Open your heart wide. . . .” 2 Corinthians 6:13