Even after all this time, as new grass appears in the spring, I find it utterly miraculous. Again and again it rises from its whittled-down state, despite bouts of lawn-mowing so persistent you would think the grass would finally give up and quit. And yet it doesn't. It keeps growing. And I'm so grateful that my son didn't give up on me when I was inept at (respectively) feeding him, teaching him to ride a bike, and helping him understand the difficulties inherent in true friendship. We keep showing up and growing up. It's what we do. If we were any better at it, we'd all be giants. But size isn't what's important. How tall we grow, or how large a space we occupy in our community circle, or how much clout we carry in the world at large. What's important is that we keep going.

Many spiritual students and people of deep faith find courage where they least expect it. I found it in my back, during a year of intense pain. I found it in a car accident, when my hatchback hit a van carrying a sick young man, and much more than a mere insurance payment--a call of apology and an offer to be of servicewas required. Fortunately, my back healed and the young man in the car was not seriously injured due to the moment of inattention that caused my car to collide into his. We do rise to such occasions because human beings are built to riselike the spring grass, growing up and up no matter what threatens to stop us. And perhaps more fortunate even than our being made to rise, is the Presence within us and all around us that shows us the way--that inspires and nudges us along.

Sometimes during the day I'll simply stop. The stillness inside me meets the noise outside me. And in that moment I am grateful to be in this body and this world, doing this growing thing. Because it's miraculous. It isn't the sort of miracle that gets anyone canonized as a saint, but maybe it's even better than that. Because this miraclethe miracle of Awareness, of that still point of attention which will open up and reveal that Presence to me, if I let itis available all the time, every day of this gift of life. So Thank You, I say. Thank you for this miraculous minute!

Ceci Miller

Ceci Miller is the author of Sacred Visitations: Gifts of Grace that Transform the Heart and Awaken the Soul. The book shares stories of a rich spiritual life in the midst of creative work, family obligations, and the everyday chaos of life (including a couple of close brushes with death). Sacred Visitations teaches the 5 Steps of Sacred Awareness?easy steps that readers of any spiritual orientation can use to explore and expand their awareness of the sacred in everyday life.

A student of meditation since 1976 and a graduate of The Iowa Writers? Workshop, Ceci?s heartfelt stories of spiritual experience and contemplation--shared in articles, books, and public talks--have inspired meditators and seekers throughout the world. Ceci is the author of two children's books on meditation, and has co-authored and edited many published books, including Writing from the Body: For Writers, Artists and Dreamers with John Lee. After editorially developing a number of successful books on meditation and personal growth, in 1999 Ceci launched CeciBooks.com to provide editorial and publishing guidance to authors of uplifting, inspiring books.

Ceci is a dynamic speaker as well as an accomplished writer. Her courses and workshops in the Art of Sacred Awareness, based on her newest book Sacred Visitations, take a lighthearted approach to contemplation, encouraging seekers to discover common ground by sharing their inner adventures.