“Every day, we gather what we think we’ll need, pick up what we love and all that we so far believe, put on our history, shoulder our experience and memory, take inventory of our blessings, and we start walking toward morning.” – Rev. Victoria Safford

We are invited to say ‘Yes’ to life, love, and truth in the hymn “Just As Long As I Have Breath.” This is not the innocent plea to say yes to all that is pleasant in our lives. Instead, the hymn encourages us to say yes, in the midst of disappointment, pain, and darkness. It implies when we are able to say yes to life, love, and truth throughout whatever we encounter, then we have lived well and lived our best.

That is a heavy burden to carry if you look at the entirety of your life. To continually say yes and put each foot in front of the other can be a challenge especially if the path in front of you is riddled with sorrow and pain. However, if we remember the title of the hymn, “Just as Long As I Have Breath,” then we can understand this idea of saying yes in a new way.

Instead of looking at the entirety of your life and what lies ahead of you, you are invited to take a breath and say yes to that moment and that moment alone. You are encouraged to focus on what is immediate. This allows us to see the moments of beauty and awe in the midst of pain and sorrow. This allows for joy in the midst of reverence.

Each moment we are given is a gift and remembering to say yes to those moments, those breaths we are able to live our lives intentionally. We are reminded of what is important and who is important in our lives. We remember why we are saying yes.

Peace & Grace,

Rev. Laura

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