The wonder of breathing

I close my eyes
Feel the weight of my body sink into the couch cushions
Place my hands, palm up, on my legs
Sit up tall
And breathe
Feel the rising of my chest with the inhale
God’s ever present gift of oxygen
Has been here all morning
But unnoticed until this moment

I exhale and feel my ribcage relax
What leaves my lungs nourishes plants
Somehow
Magically
It reaches trees, shrubs, grass
Somewhere
And then somehow like magic
Those plants receive the carbon dioxide mixed with sunlight and send out
Oxygen
And somehow like magic 
It finds me
Even though there are no plants near me
Here on my couch

I am part of the dance of creation
Breathe in
Breathe out
Invisible light rays 
And radio waves
And micro waves
And who knows what other waves
Pass through me on their way
Who knows where

As the waves pass through me
So does God’s power and presence
Because it is everywhere
Holding all things together
Giving all things that exist
Like me
And the trees
And the squirmy things
And the flying things
And the swimming things
And the running things
What we need for another moment of life

Breathe in
Breathe out
Breathe in
Breathe out