Receive

By Pastor Paul Gauche

Today’s Word: ‘Receive’ as in… we don’t take a breath; we receive each breath.

On a recent trip with some friends, we were “getting our steps in” on a walking tour of New York City. Approaching Trinity Church Wall Street at the intersection of Broadway and Wall Street, I noticed a large, lighted sign outside the main entrance. Suddenly, on a beautiful Thursday afternoon in the Big Apple, I found myself in a New State of Mind with this simple invitation to breathe.

“Take a moment to be still and centered.

Stand still

Take a deep breath

Take another

Take one more

Feel the ground beneath your feet

Take a deep breath

Take another

Take one more

Repeat as needed.

Peace be with you.”

 

And so, I did. I stood still for a few moments allowing myself to feel the ground under my feet. This lovely, simple exercise was calming and centering as my chest expanded with the oxygen filling my lungs. And then, after holding it for one more moment, I released it. I exhaled, already anticipating the next breath.

But then I had this thought.

What if we made a subtle shift in the instructions? What if we changed the language of this beautiful invitation? What if the invitation isn’t to “take a breath” but rather to “receive a breath.” What if the subtle shift from “taking” to “receiving” each breath draws us more deeply into the Source of every breath?

We’re busy all day, every day, taking things. We take the trash out. We take the dog for a walk. We take a break from our busy schedules. But we don’t actually take a breath; we receive our breath as a gift.

As we receive each breath as a gift, we become more grateful for the gift of life itself. So, receive this invitation:

 

Stand still

Receive a deep breath

Receive another

Receive one more

Feel the ground beneath your feet

Receive a deep breath

Receive another

Receive one more

 

Repeat as needed.

Peace be with you.

 

#100days50words

Paul Gauche is the Pastor of Life Transitions at Prince of Peace. His posts are part of his #100days50words project, where he blogs about a different word each week. You can follow his project on Instagram (@pgauche) or his blog, Thriving Rhythms.