Foundation for Lasting Relationship

Everyone keeps a mental or written to-do list. Some items are practical—pay bills, answer emails, finish projects. Others are personal promises we quietly make to ourselves. On my own list, there is one simple, meaningful task that keeps moving to tomorrow: saying my prayers early in the morning and again before going to bed.

Every night I tell myself, “Before sleeping, I will pray properly.” Every morning I promise, “Tomorrow I will start the day with prayer.” Yet somehow, the day rushes in and the night slips away before I remember. What should take only a few peaceful minutes becomes the most postponed duty on my list.

In the morning, the mind wakes up already crowded. Thoughts of work, family responsibilities, messages, and unfinished plans begin marching in before I even leave my bed. Instead of pausing to thank God for a new day, I reach for the phone, check the time, and prepare for tasks waiting ahead. I tell myself that I will pray later, perhaps after breakfast. But once the day begins moving, it does not slow down for silent moments.

At night, the story repeats itself. By the time I lie down, my body is tired but my mind is still noisy. I scroll through memories of the day, worries about tomorrow, and small regrets of what I failed to do. Prayer feels important, yet sleep feels urgent. I whisper, “Just today I’m tired,” and close my eyes without offering the few words of gratitude, repentance, and trust that my heart really needs.

What makes this unfinished task painful is that prayer is not a burden. It is meant to be comfort. It is not work; it is rest for the soul. When I do manage to pray, I notice a difference. My thoughts become calmer, my fears smaller, and my gratitude stronger. Prayer reminds me that I am not carrying life alone. Yet, ironically, I postpone the very thing that could lighten my emotional and spiritual load.

The real reason this item stays unfinished is not lack of time, but lack of discipline. We always find time for what we value most. If I can spend minutes checking messages, watching videos, or planning tomorrow, surely I can spend a few minutes speaking to God. My to-do list is full, but my heart knows what should come first.

Perhaps the lesson hidden in this never-done task is simple: prayer should not wait for perfect conditions. It belongs in ordinary, imperfect moments—before the world distracts me in the morning and before sleep steals me at night.

One day, I hope this forgotten item finally moves from my to-do list to my daily habit. Because when prayer becomes routine, life itself becomes lighter, clearer, and more meaningful.

Saviour Shanthalal Hettiarachchi