Coffee, Oatmeal, and Prayer

            I tend to start my days with coffee. This surprises no one who's met me - I've got coffee jokes and memes on social media, and anyone who visits the office sees the carafe and smells that blissful aroma of ethically sourced, locally roasted, freshly ground beans. It's more than just a caffeine hit; it's a psychological comfort.

            It's not unlike my typical breakfast of oatmeal. I jazz up my oats with variations of nuts and seeds and fruit, but the base remains the same. Sustaining, healthy, and oh-so-tasty, oatmeal is such a regular component of my day that when I choose other options, the day can feel disjointed somehow.

            These two daily starters help to give structure to my day, but when I'm reflecting at night about the best parts of my day- I don't tend to think about them. I would seldom consider my cup of coffee to be particularly edifying; the oatmeal is unlikely to be the most satisfying part of my day.

            Yet, they are fairly standard in my routine, and without them the day feels incomplete.

            For me, prayer can be like that. It is spiritually nourishing, it is a practice that is predictable, it is foundational to my day. While a recent study on spiritual wellness indicated that prayer is not rated high on the life satisfaction scale, I believe that it is necessary for a well-balanced and healthy life. Even in prayer dry-spells, it continues to comfort; even when hastily practiced it provides benefit, even when it feels routine it consistently supports.

            Prayer, like oatmeal and coffee (and even moreso!), is sustaining beyond the ordinary.