The Daily Watch

A minute at the desk, on the days between

The weekly watch takes an hour. This takes a minute, at the machine where you spend the rest of the week. Nothing is counted here and nothing is owed.

Before you open anything. Sit down with the screen still dark and take a few slow breaths. Do not check the phone first. This is the only part that is hard, and it is hard every day.

Say the prayer he taught, in whatever form you know it, slowly enough to mean the words.

Then the watchword, before the first message you answer:

Maranatha. Come, Lord Jesus.

Stop once in the middle. Some time in the afternoon, in the middle of the scrolling, stop on purpose. Look away from the screen for the length of one breath and say the same three words. The deliberate stop is the watch kept at the post where you actually stand.

That is all of it. If you forget a day, start again tomorrow. Nobody is keeping score, and a minute is not a small thing when it is the minute before the machine has your attention.