If we didn’t see it happen: poem by Clarence Heller

image by Sabine van Erp, on Pixabay, modified

Miracles

If we didn’t see the miracle, does that mean it didn’t happen?

If something occurs so often that we fail to even notice,

can it not still be miraculous?

We say what a miracle life is when we witness a birth,

but the miracle of life occurs each time we breathe,

each time there is thought,

each time a heart beats,

each time love brings someone to tears,

each time a tiny cut heals

or a broken bone mends,

each time a bird flies

or a spring peeper rejoices so loudly,

and each time a firefly lights.

Yes, life is the miracle love brings forth

each moment, in innumerable ways.

Thank you, oh loving God, for the miracle of this day.

Thank you for enabling us to awaken this day,

to breathe, to see, to hear, think, and feel.

Thank you for inviting us to share life and love,

the ultimate miracle, with you!

Originally published in Everyday Sacred: Meditations and Paintings

to Inspire Reflection and Prayer by Clarence Heller (2010).

__________________________

Clarence Heller is a poet and spiritual director

from St. Louis, Missouri. He is the author of

Everyday Sacred: Meditations and Paintings

to Inspire Reflection and Prayer (2010) and

A Heart Journey Through Lent (2025). He publishes

a daily poem under the heading “A Piece of Goodness” via Facebook and Constant Contact.

When he is not spending time with his family, you

can find him tending the garden, working in the prairie, walking in the woods, or offering spiritual direction. Learn more at www.clarenceheller.com.

December 2025 issue