(instrumental music playing)
You think this is just
another day in your life?
It's not just another day.
It's the one day
that is given to you today.
It's given to you.
It's a gift.
It's the only gift
that you have right now,
and the only
appropriate response
is gratefulness.
(instrumental music playing)
If you do nothing else
but to cultivate
that response to the great gift
that this unique day is,
if you learn to respond
as if it were the first day
in your life
and the very last day,
then you will have spent
this day very well.
Begin by opening your eyes
and be surprised
that you have eyes you can open.
That incredible array of colors
that is constantly offered to us
for pure enjoyment.
Look at the sky.
We so rarely look at the sky.
We so rarely note
how different it is
from moment to moment
with clouds coming and going.
We just think of the weather.
And even of the weather,
we don't think
of all the many nuances
of weather.
We just think of good weather
and bad weather.
This day right now
has unique weather,
maybe a kind
that will never exactly
in that form come again.
The formation of clouds
in the sky
will never be the same
that it's right now.
Open your eyes.
Look at that.
Look at the faces of people
whom you meet.
Each one has an incredible story
behind their face,
a story that you could
never fully fathom,
not only their own story,
but the story
of their ancestors.
We all go back so far.
And in this present moment,
on this day,
all the people you meet,
all that life from generations
and from so many places
all over the world
flows together
and meets you here
like a life-giving water
if you only open your heart
and drink.
Open your heart
to the incredible gifts
that civilization gives to us.
You flip a switch,
and there is electric light.
You turn a faucet,
and there is warm water
and cold water
and drinkable water.
It's a gift that millions
and millions
in the world
will never experience.
So, these are just a few
of an enormous number of gifts
to which we can open your heart.
And so I wish you
that you would open
your heart
to all these blessings
and let them flow through you,
that everyone
whom you will meet on this day
will be blessed by you,
just by your eyes,
by your smile,
by your touch,
just by your presence.
Let the gratefulness overflow
into blessing all around you.
And then it will really be
a good day.
(silence)
*Captions by Project readOn*