A Fresh Start
"Then he said to them, 'Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.'" (Neh. 8:10)
I was able to make a fresh start recently. It felt so good to be
able to put all of those past mistakes behind me. It felt so wonderful to be
able to look towards the future with clear eyes and a clean heart. It felt so
glorious to greet the new day with a peaceful mind and a joyful soul.
I didn’t get my fresh start by moving to another town, however. I didn’t get it
by starting a new job. I didn’t get it by going on vacation. I didn’t get it by
buying something either. I didn’t get it by changing the world around me at all.
Those types of changes never work anyway. You can’t clean your house by sweeping
the sidewalk, after all.
How did I get my fresh start then? Why, I simply opened my eyes this morning.
You see, everyday of our lives can be a fresh start if we wish. Each new morning
is another gift from God when we can begin again to clean our house within and
to live our lives better than we did before. Each new day is a fresh beginning
to choose love, create joy, spread laughter, help others, and give something
back to the world. Each new moment is another chance to share a hug, a smile, a
compliment, or an act of kindness. It doesn’t matter how many mistakes we have
made, wrong turns we have taken, or days we have wasted. We all can begin again
this morning, this day, and right now. God is there waiting to help us to live
and love as we were meant to.
There is an old saying that goes, "If you wake up breathing, you have another
chance." Don’t waste your chance today. Make your fresh start now. Wake up this
morning and say, "Good morning God! Thank you for my life!" Then go out and live
it in joy, love, and oneness with Him. Open your heart, soul, and mind to the
love, goodness, and delight that is all around you. Share all the wonder,
talent, compassion, and uniqueness that is within you. Help to build a better
world with the life you live in it. And seize each new day as a fresh start to
live and love.
Joe Mazzella