I think when we are always busy trying to be “contemplative” and get to a deeper level of prayer, we miss something. I think one of the truest forms of prayer is my daughter running through the grass at full speed, saying, “Look at me, Daddy!” She marvels at what her legs can do and is truly abandoned to the moment and the speed at which she carries her little body.

We can do a lot for our hearts by just being what we are. There is a gamut of emotions that I feel like I go through everyday. If you are sad, be sad. There is a lot to be sad about. If you are happy, be happy. There is a lot to be happy about. Be angry once in a while. Be afraid. Be what you are, and realize as you abandon yourself to the moment, you will encounter God as he is – right here, right now.

Our emotions are important. They are what connect us to each other and to God. When my heart is soft, I can be open to others and to God. When it is closed and hard and I am always trying to think my way into new ways of being, I close myself off and cannot be changed. Real transformation comes from being what you are and letting someone else in.