Why We Pray

My wife and I was talking last week about prayer. The need to do it daily as a form of self care. She doesn't like to do it and sincerely I understand why. For her prayer was a request. It was coming to God empty handed, asking Them to put something in it. She was raised Catholic like a good Italian girl should be and that was her experience. Spontaneous ejaculations of faith were usually just public demonstrations of piety and conversations with Deity were usually veiled inquiries for favors. It's difficult to argue with such logic when you've made similar observations in the world around you.

This morning I observed something that I was aware of, but not consciously so. My first prayer of the day isn't to be shown something(divination) or to make sure the rest of my day goes well, or anything like that. It's thanks. The first prayer of the day should always be one of thanks.

I thanked God, my Ancestors, and all of my vodous for my life and health, my wife whose stout heart supports me when I'm low and whose keen intellect challenges mine to grow. I thank Them for my children, my investment in eternity, who teach me how to love selflessly, who teach me patience, and who teach me discipline. I thank Them for my spiritual and material wealth and resources, I even thank Them for these pets my family coerced me into getting.

With gratitude being the zeitgeist of my day, it is easier to face it's challenges without despair as even in the face of adversity I have so much more than those around me. Even more important, I've identified my priorities and in all instances determined that self pity is a detriment to them all.

So in going forward today be thankful for what you do have and let that gas you up when everything else seems arrayed against you.