Last week, my writing professor asked us to reflect on this quote:

“If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything, it is open to everything. In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind there are few.” -Shunryu Suzuki

When I first read the quote, I thought of the more straightforward analysis—it’s important not to think we’ve learned all we can learn. We should always be attentive to things we don’t know.

As I thought about it a little more, I saw the quote from a different perspective. Here’s what I wrote in my journal for this class:

I think we should take the time to empty our minds. If we are constantly worrying or thinking, we will be burdened with a full and chaotic mind. If we take the time to rest and free the thoughts in our brains, we will be refreshed and ready to take on the day.

I don’t know about you, but all my brain power in the morning goes toward keeping my eyes open! I wake up, rush to get ready, walk to class, and then dive straight into school work. I hardly ever take ample time to reflect on anything important in the morning.

I think it is beneficial to empty our minds to make room for the day’s thoughts. Surely we all have a little bit of time in the mornings to think—whether it’s driving to work, walking to class, or staring in the mirror as we brush our teeth. Tomorrow morning, you have some questions to answer!

What am I thankful for today?

Boy, imagine if we began our day this way. I bet the whole trajectory of our routine may shift if we saw the world through the lens of Thanksgiving.

How can I make someone’s day?

This may cause you to smile at someone before you’ve even spoken a word to anyone. You never know what kind of mountains you can move simply by being intentionally considerate.

What decisions will I make today?

My mom’s favorite quote is, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” I’ve heard it so much throughout my life. It’s annoying. But, it’s also true. Will I choose to be happy today? Will I choose to be healthy today? Will I choose to be kind today? If we ask ourselves these questions and determine our answers right away, we will probably be more likely to stick to our word.

What am I worried about today? Why?

Maybe if we face our troubles head-on, we’ll realize how stupid they are. On the other hand, maybe if we face our troubles head-on, we’ll realize how terrifying they are. We’ll have to acknowledge the terrorizing monsters the day ahead forces us to tackle. In this case, maybe we’ll call on Jesus right then and there. We’ll fall to our knees first thing in the morning rather than doing it as a last resort. And when we go to face the day, we’ll realize that the monsters ahead of us scurry in fear of the One who goes before us.