A Winter's Hike on the Hermitage Trail
We pray for the very important reason that real prayer is a prayer of self-sustenance. Real prayer is you dealing with Omnipotent Intelligence the way you see fit. This is you and ‘IT’. In turn prayer brings you back to your own basic belief factor as a member of an infinite human family. Gregge Tiffen (THANKSGIVING: The Power of Prayer – How It Works, November, 2006)
Moon rise at sunset.
Sitting quietly by a warming fire in the predawn hours earlier this week, I began reflecting on all that I’m grateful for. As I began to write in my journal, the words surprised me and took me to an unexpected place: gratitude for being me.
I am grateful for how I live my life, the choices I make, the insight and curiosity I experience, my love of quiet and of nature’s beauty. I’m grateful that I take reasonably good care of myself. I’m grateful that I take time to ease into the day and enjoy the morning quiet with Luke curled up near-by. I’m grateful for my introspection and for how I see the world unfolding perfectly in this human experiment/experience despite events that are horrific beyond my understanding.
I’m grateful for how I’ve faced the challenges in my life, even those events where in hindsight I saw a different way for me to be. Each offered a gift and I did my best to accept it.
I’m grateful that I enjoy my own company as well as being in the company of others. Both are so very important, yet we humans so very often shun being alone for fear of being lonely, forgetting that in our aloneness we hear Your voice and feel Your presence.
Thank You for always being with me/in me. Thank YOU for allowing and guiding me to be me. I feel so close You, God, in these quiet moments and I am so very grateful.
A quiet moment at Cottonwood Creek
Thankfulness and gratitude are often expressed for things external to us – our family, our work, our homes, our pets, our friends. Yes, I am grateful, deeply grateful, for these many, many blessings in my life.
And, another quiet moment at our favorite spot on the creek
And, in taking my gratitude to a different place this week, I found deep peace and personal satisfaction in allowing myself to express gratitude for me. In whatever form you celebrate, may it bring you peace, joy, love and all that your heart desires.