Lately, I’ve been reading Macrina Wiederkehr’s book, Seven Sacred Pauses.   She offers a model for living mindfully each day through the  ancient practice of fixed hour prayer and invites us to consider ways in which we can all live more mindfully.  One way is to pause at specific times throughout the day to pray,  acknowledging that the work we are doing that day is an act of co-creation with God.  She writes,

“No matter what your work entails – housework, laundry, personal contacts, business meetings, preparing for workshops, yardwork, writing, composing, teaching, cooking, raising children, (fill in your own labor of love) – realize that you are an artist.  In some small way you are continuing the work of creation.  Remember to pause.”  p. 27

Reflecting on her words, I was reminded of the prayer written by the former Secretaty General of the United Nations,  Dag Hammarskjold –  “For all that has been, thanks.  For all that will be, yes.”

What if this or a similar prayer marked specific moments of our days?  What if we all paused each day with the goal of learning to live as “vessels of devotion, containers out of which we pour forth loving service to others”?   What if we all set as our goal to live more mindfully?  What difference would that make in our lives and in our world?