The ritual of taking a deep breath as I stir and spin and wipe and wonder at my kitchen counter has saved my life a 100 times a morning. There is a comfort in wiping this sticky counter and considering the brave it takes to face days. It prepares me to face the choices of my day. It is where I breathe prayers and whisper hopes and cry out pains. It is my kneeling. The miracle of staying alive and also living should not be taken lightly by one soul. Be gentle with yourself and others today. None of us knows the moments that had to be swallowed down at the kitchen counter by the one we sit next to in church or brush against in Starbucks. Some of us need to be aware of our own brave and deep breaths and walk a little stronger. “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Isaiah 40:29