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Quiet Gratitude

November 25, 2020

Thanksgiving is here. So is the gift of choice. How you celebrate, where, and with whom.

In this time, with this virus, the choices are different. And the impact on your way of living and relating is great. I’m witnessing the loss, disappointment, loneliness, and fear that is present.

And the courage, resilience, and strength in the human capacity for adaptability.

As I listen to the world, I hear your conversations that focus upon what was lost and speculation of when it will be returned. I listen to my own thoughts that echo that approach.

It seems that the benchmark for living, even in the midst of upheaval, remains the way of the past.

This framework of your life is familiar and, like most of us, you depend greatly upon familiarity. It is built into your survival system and allows you to move through your day in a habitual manner. This is an effective and efficient way of expending your mental, emotional, and physical energy.

Yet, life is inviting a different response by necessity.

It is a chance to reevaluate what is meaningful and how we connect with one another. I hope you don’t miss this invitation by trying to figure out how to celebrate Thanksgiving like you did before … with COVID adaptations.

I hope you see the new possibility. Even with all the disappointment and discomfort of this newness.

Every moment, when lived with awareness, offers a choice of how to engage this life. To explore how to enter the intimacy of living within your body, relating to those around you, and choosing how you approach your moments. And your holiday.

I hope you can settle in and enjoy moving more slowly.

To reflect upon the goodness of your life and the simple pleasures of living. In the slower, quieter movement throughout the day, there is a natural invitation for reflection. It’s larger than sharing your gratitude before a turkey dinner. Although that is quite lovely. You have the opportunity to sit within the invitation of gratitude to see, feel, and experience its presence in your daily life.

Life is mostly quiet now. Granting opportunities for silence and slow movement.

I feel a deep, abiding gratitude for these quiet moments. For this disruption to all things normal so that I can see and feel what is here within me, around me, and between me and the world. I’m aware of how much I’ve missed in the scheduled movements of my life. How busy I’ve been attending to my life and how much living I’ve overlooked.

As the stillness beckons, I am pulled away from the need to attend to the noise of the world.

What emerges is the richness of simple actions. Like walking my dog as the sun sets lower in the sky. Feeling the wild wind whipping my hair. Hearing the leaves crunch beneath my feet. Surrounded by the dark, tangled wood with just a hint of the outline of a doe and her child. I stop to connect and chat a bit. Mother to mother.

The night is quiet. The trees are dancing.

Darkness is not yet broken by the light of the moon, yet graced occasionally by sweeping headlights. What a gift to walk out of my door into this tame wilderness.

Entering the warmth and light of my home, I feel complete. Blessed. Grateful.

I wish you deep stillness during this holiday weekend. I hope you feel the connection with yourself and the wonder of your life. May you you seek meaningful connection. With your memories, your socially distanced guests, your ZOOM or phone conversations.

I hope you consider who may be in need of connection and reach for them with love.

I hope you feel the gratitude for the ease in which you live, even in the midst of great difficulty. And for everyone who has contributed to your wellbeing in those tiny and huge ways.

May the essence of Gratitude be your companion not only on Thanksgiving, but in every moment of your life.

Thank you for every way you contribute to this wonder of a life. So that I may benefit from your presence. So we all can.

Peace be with you and with all. No exceptions.

HeartWarming

News

German researchers explored the question “What are your personal strategies for happiness?” Two primary strategies, personal and social, emerged. They found that people who set personal goals, like getting a better job or staying healthy, didn’t budge on the happiness meter. Whereas those with social strategies like spending time with family and friends or volunteering not only followed through, they reported increases in happiness. Social connection is consistently identified as an important factor in well being. Social connection doesn’t have to be in person, but it does involve people! Reach out and let others reach in.

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