This phrase — Open Your Hands — is very much on my mind this morning.

There is so much fear in the world. When we’re afraid, often one of our first reactions is to close our hands into fists, metaphorically. (Perhaps literally, as well.)

When we worry about not having enough, about economic problems, about disasters, we tend to lock ourselves in our houses, gripping our pennies. We’re afraid of ‘losing it all.’

Today, I invite you to open your hands.

First, do it literally – take a moment and stretch out your fingers, then let them relax into an open, palm-up position. You can do this for a few moments or for a longer meditation. With this physical gesture, remind yourself that you are open to both give and to receive.

And as your day goes on, open your hands in some other way. Choose to be generous. Even if there is a voice somewhere in you saying there’s not enough to share or that it’s impractical – be generous.

You can do this so many ways. Be generous with your time: be patient in traffic or in line, listen to someone who needs to talk, hold doors extravagantly for everyone today. Be generous with your money: leave a tip, buy something handmade from an artist, take a bag of fresh fruit to your local homeless shelter, bring cookies in to the office. Be generous with your spirit: hold someone you really don’t like in your mind and wish them peace – even for just 10 seconds, offer kindness today to anyone and everyone, spread good-natured laughter, smile at all the children you see.

These are just a few of the endless possibilities. Today, I want to focus on opening my hands…and I invite you to join me!