New Beginnings

Today is a new beginning, the first day of the rest of our lives.

New Beginnings

Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, ‘Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.’

When we were born, we started our lives at the very beginning – with everything. The entire universe was new to us. We had to learn to trust, to walk, to talk, to explore, to risk falling and getting hurt. We began with what must have been very small and scary steps. As we’ve grown older we haven’t wanted people to think of us as ‘beginners.’ Even now we might be embarrassed or insulted to be called that. But, to be a beginner is a positive thing: we can be more open to explore options and possibilities, to walk down paths we might not have considered before. Beginning again is somewhat like surrendering and having the courage to let go of the things and people and ideas that we have been clinging to for dear life. If we can ldo that and begin anew, we might discover that we are filled with new life and strength.

Unfortunately we may have problems getting past obstacles in our lives – those pieces of unfinished business, those ‘debts’ to be paid – in order to allow ourselves to open the doors to new horizons, new dreams. We might be waiting until everything is ‘just right.’ But life is never without its flaws. There will always be challenges, issues, and less than optimum conditions. However, we can choose to get started – now. With each new step we take, we will grow stronger, more skilled, more confident. Wherever we are now is truly the right time to begin to live our lives more fully and meaningfully.

My dad once said to me that when you feel like you can’t go another step, when you feel like you are failing and have reached the end of the line, that’s the moment of opportunity when you can turn over a new page and start again. The sages have said that you can learn new things at any time in your life if you’re willing to be a beginner. And if you enjoy being a beginner, the whole world will open to you.

Perhaps Rumi had it right when he wrote: ‘Your mind, this globe of awareness, is a starry universe. When you push off with your foot, a thousand new roads become clear.’

Our hearts are our most sacred places. It is the place where God resides, where our dreams are born, where we can get beyond our fears and transform our lives. Our hearts may be telling us to begin, yes, to begin again – and again. After all, life is not a dress rehearsal. So let’s stop just practicing what we’re going to do and start beginning to do it.

Beloved Creator of New Beginnings, we thank you for the opportunity to start again. We ask for your guidance to help us live in a new way. Grant us new visions and fresh dreams so our lives will be filled with hope and courage. May we be open to the joys of beginning again, of being alive. Amen.

Joy Carol