When I was living in a Zen monastery I arose at 3:30 am every day to chant Buddhist prayers.

When done, shortly before sunrise, as the sky was lightening I would leave the prayer hall and start back towards my quarters. The Roshi (Zen Master) would be standing on the porch looking eastward.

One morning , I spoke to him saying as I passed, “Roshi waiting to see the sun rise?”

He answered, quietly, “No, waiting to see if sun rise.”

I learned, over the coming months as I got to know him better, that indeed, he was doing just that.

He took nothing for granted and lived in a constant state of awareness and gratitude.