An aspiration fits into a single second

Aspirations are very brief prayers, cast upward like an arrow. They fit while you open a door, wait for an elevator, start a phone call, or notice that the day is slipping out of your hands. Their brevity does not make them superficial. A simple phrase can cut through inertia, restore the presence of God to you, and name what you need: thank you, help me, forgive me, accompany them. They do not replace a quiet time of prayer, just as a quick text message does not replace a long conversation. But they keep the bond alive between one encounter and the next. Friendship also grows through small signs throughout the day.