Most mornings I have my coffee in the car on my way to the office or wherever the day will take me. This morning-waker-upper is usually accompanied by some portable food that is not too messy to eat and accelerated speeds. Both coffee and food are consumed without much attention to my surroundings,save the signs, the attention to twists and turns that move me safely from one place to another. Breakfast, in this fashion, becomes a mode of ingesting the calories and caffeine needed to begin a day.

Yesterday’s breakfast could not have been any different. Sitting on the balcony of the ship on which we are sailing toward Alaska, the mountains and water spread out before me. Perched on a small, white table was the breakfast that would begin my day, the food that would give me the energy to do the work of, well, relaxing. The gift of this was not lost on me. I allowed my eyes to drink in the spectacular beauty all around.

Staring into the middle distance, I blinked and shook my head not believing that I was seeing what I thought I had. Directly out from the ship, a spray of water whooshed into the air. It was followed by the black and white enormous tail of a whale! Still not believing it, I narrowed my vision. Yes! It was indeed not one whale but two. Spraying their powerful breath into the air, diving and catapulting their enormous body out of the water, these magnificent creatures became my breakfast companions.

What to do with such an experience? My heart was filled to overflowing with gratitude for the privilege of seeing this sight. I thought of my own ordinary task of eating breakfast. In many ways, these creatures of the sea were also simply doing their own ordinary, morning task. Each of us just going about what is normal, predictable, daily. The sheer fact that this glorious creature and I were in the same patch of Creation at that moment is what made it glorious for me. The whale, of course, was oblivious to this human one whose heart was full of awe at its being, simply being itself.

This experience caused me to think of all the manner of miracles that happens every day, every moment, acts that are unseen to me and yet would dazzle if I could only see. For all the terror the world often seems to hold, it is important to remember that it also births acts of unbelievable beauty and splendor which have the power to overshadow all the terrible things that also happen. We are connected in an invisible web of earth, air, water and spirit. Sometimes it is only a matter of remembering this. And noticing. And falling in love with the beauty and letting the awe seep into our pores. And offering thanks, always offering thanks.

Which is what the psalmist did when they wrote these words in Psalm 104: “What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations. Oh, look—the deep, wide sea, brimming with fish past counting, sardines and sharks and salmon. Ships plow those waters, and Leviathan, your pet dragon, romps in them. Send out your Spirit and they spring to life— the whole countryside in bloom and blossom.”

Today may not bring whales with breakfast for you or for me. Such gifts of Creation are often few and far between. But there will be miracles of connection that come our way. I am willing to stake my life on it. May we all be awake and ready to notice……and to offer our praise.