Have you ever heard anyone say” I never had the opportunity”? It’s a widely used saying, but the truth is we miss the opportunity because we fail to recognize it when it presents itself to us. You’ve heard the saying “why put off until tomorrow what you can do today?” procrastination is another way to miss the opportunity that is right in front of you.

Each day we are gifted with life begins with opportunity; first to thank the Creator for the gift, the ability to think, to move, to enjoy loved ones and everything that surrounds us. Sometimes it is the little opportunities we take advantage of that can bring the most joy. Have you ever been standing in the checkout line and the person in front of you is a little short in paying for their items?

You can see on their face the need for the items so you volunteer to pay the extra. The look of shock and gladness on their face at your act of kindness brings its own reward. You may not give it a second thought at the time, but thinking about it later warms your heart. Then there are times we are expected to show up and we are absent. It was his 1st-grade recital, your son was so happy daddy was coming to hear him play.

Daddy was missing; he thought something else was more important until he recognized the pain of disappointment in his son’s eyes and his heart was crushed. We have become so busy and self-absorbed that random opportunities are missed each day.  The stranger we pass that smiles and say “good morning”, but we pretend not to see or hear them. Someone holds the door for you, but you forget to say “thank you”.

You may yell “hold the elevator”, but where is the please? We don’t think of it but common courtesy is an opportunity to share love and concern for others. It saddens my heart to realize our world is growing darker with each passing moment. Hatred is spewed out like water flowing from a fountain. Everyone wants to be right not accepting accountability for what we have done to the beautiful world God gave to us.

There are wars and rumors of wars, people are homeless and starving, and power hungry men seek more power but at the expenses of the less fortunate.  Random acts of kindness are few and rarely recognized, however; with each kind action light shines into the darkness bringing hope. Hope that justice will remove her blinders and stand for what is right, hope that love will penetrate selfish cold hearts with its radiance melting away the ice.

Hope that we can be ONE people united under God with respect for our many differences and hope that our world will be renewed, not destroyed by our own hands. The opportunity stands before us to irradicate the evil that is engulfing our world; we must look it in the eyes and denounce it, fight it with all our strength and never turn away when it rears its ugly head.

Its presence is invasive, we must stop it in our churches, homes, government, courts, schools and anywhere it may be found beginning by self-examination. Allow love to find you, renew in you the right spirit and brighten your corner of the world.  Don’t miss the opportunity to shine loves light into a dark and evil world. Each love filled heart will touch another love filled heart and the brightness of shared love will implode the darkness.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.