What do you look at in life and gasp with awe and wonder?
Usually it's a sunset or sunrise or some beautiful or magnificent aspect of nature.
Or something gorgeous like an amazing crystal structure. The majesty of nature often inspires us with awe and reverence.

Sadly very few of us are inspired in the same way to look at other humans! We revere all the wrong things! Big houses; expensive jewellery; designer labels; fancy cars; - a lot of 'things'!

How often do we look at another person and feel ourselves filling with awe?
In the early days of a relationship we do it! We look at our new partner with starry eyes... we are in awe of our luck, that this amazing person would pick us! And for the 'honeymoon' period we keep seeing the astonishing being of light that the person truly is - and they see it in themselves. And then ...we start to see the warts!

And familiarity breeds irritation! Their little patterns and habits (we don't have any of course) start to drive us nuts and so we are soon disrespectful, taking them for granted and seeing a black blob not an astonishing being of light! And yet this person is still the same inside!

Imagine every person you meet has a sign on their forehead - God lives here! Would you treat them differently?!

That's your new year mission - should you choose to accept it! To treat every person you meet with wonderful reverence and awe and respect.

And to treat objects with care and concern - but not with the respect you need to be giving living creatures!

Pay attention to how wasteful you are of water and natural resources like paper. Be conscious that each of us CAN and DOES make a change every day - either positive or negative.

Turn the water off while you brush your teeth! Think about the number paper towels you need to wipe something down. Recycle paper and bottles. Re-use containers. THINK about the way you live and do it with reverence for the environment.

Have reverence for yourself! And your extraordinary body! It accomplishes an astonishing array of incredible actions every moment of every day! You sure will treat it with reverence when it stops working and you find yourself unwell or struggling for breath! Treat it well now - before you learn that nasty lesson!

Practice reverence every day -

- for yourself and others; your loved ones and colleagues;

- see and bring out the best in them; believe in them;

- for the precious environment that gives you a home!

- for everyone you meet

- for the animals who love us

- for your home and car and possessions - treat them with care but have reverence for people above your possessions!

- for the extraordinary beauty of nature - even in the tiniest ways - everything in nature is a miracle!

Here's to an awe filled, reverence filled amazing 2012!!!