Spiritual Sparks: Finding a Sense of Where You Are

Originally published in Spiritual Sparks on July 9, 2026.

Bill Bradley is one of the rare individuals to have reached the highest levels in two very different worlds. After a Hall of Fame basketball career with the New York Knicks, he went on to become a three-term U.S. Senator and a serious candidate for President.

Bradley possessed one especially unusual basketball skill. Standing with his back to the basket and without looking, he could toss the ball over his shoulder, sending it through the hoop with remarkable consistency.

How was Bradley able to make such a seemingly impossible shot?

✨3 Ideas

**Knowing where you are **

We know whether we’re in St. Louis, Seattle or Singapore. But where are we spiritually? Are our thoughts, words, and actions aligned with the deepest aspirations of our soul? Are we moving toward the person we were created to become?

If someone asked for directions to Miami, you’d respond, “Where are you starting from?” The same is true in life. Before we can journey toward meaning, purpose and fulfillment, we first need an honest awareness of where we are today.

A meaningful journey begins with an accurate assessment of our present location.

**Losing our bearings **

A plane flying from San Francisco to Boston that is just one degree off course will miss its destination by almost 50 miles. Spiritually, the same is true. Small departures from our values, left uncorrected, can eventually carry us far from the life our soul longs to live.

People seldom lose their way all at once. They lose it one unnoticed step at a time.

Rarely do people lose their way through one dramatic decision. More often, they drift. Not taking the time to look inward leads to a loss of bearings over time.

**Returning to our true course **

Our soul never loses its desire for what is good, meaningful, and true. Beneath the noise of everyday life, it continues to call us toward purpose, compassion, and goodness. The challenge is not creating that voice, but learning to hear it.

The surest way to stay on course is to keep listening to the direction of your soul.

Reflecting upon our strengths and weaknesses and clarifying our priorities gradually realign our lives with our deepest values.

📜2 Quotes

“More than all that you guard, guard your heart, for it is the source of life.” — Proverbs 4:23

“And I’m looking for space. And to find out who I am. And I’m looking to know and understand … “ — Looking for Space, sung by John Denver

❓1 Question

If someone asked, “Where are you spiritually right now?” how would you answer?

So how was Bill Bradley able to stand with his back to the basket, never look at the hoop, and still make the shot?

His explanation was surprisingly simple: “On the court, you have to have a sense of where you are.”

That wisdom extends far beyond basketball. Life rarely allows us to see the road ahead. But when we remain aware of where we stand today – grounded in our values, attentive to our soul, and willing to make small course corrections – we’re far more likely to arrive where we truly hope to go.

Until next time, Wishing you a week of meaningful direction,

Rabbi Ze’ev Smason

P.S. What’s your superpower – the unique gift you bring to the world around you? I’d love to hear it.

P.P.S. If this week’s reflection resonated with you, my new book, Spiritual Sparks: A Reader, continues that journey with sixteen essays exploring purpose, relationships, gratitude, and our inner life. I hope you’ll take a look: Amazon