The Awe of Gratitude

I've been thinking a lot about gratitude lately. About the blessings and gifts of life.

Not being a religious person, I don't identify from whence or whom arrive these blessings. It seems to me they are a function of "what goes around comes around", of approaching life with generosity and of learning how to receive gracefully, not an easy task for some of us.

Some of the gifts are momentous, life-changing, transformative. Some are so quiet and move in the background of life like soft breezes we don't notice are there until they ruffle our hair.

Not being a religious person, I don't have a Sunday morning routine which offers a specific timeframe within which to examine these blessings and to offer thanks. Perhaps you don't, either.

But moments come along. Moments of intense joy, moments of silent reflection, of laughing with the people we love, moments of basking in the light of the full moon and letting our hearts and our minds fill with the awe of gratitude.

Being human, we are seekers and experimenters who stumble sometimes into bear traps from which we cannot see the light. Being human, we flail against these dark times, have our tantrums and loss of trust. But I know --  we all know somehow -- that the most difficult periods of life, be they twenty-four hours or many months long, are as necessary as the moments of bliss.

Sometimes we have to walk through fire to forge us. We emerge stronger. Brighter. Cleaner. Purified somehow. If we pay attention, we emerge with new clarity from which we are better able to give, better able see our blessings and our gifts to make use of them ourselves and bestow them on others.

My life is filled with these gifts. I am overflowing with pure golden abundance. I want to stand, feet rooted on this exquisite planet we have been given to spend our time on, lift my arms to the skies and let the energy flow from me and into me.

I want to stand on a hilltop and yell my thanks to the universe.

So on this Thanksgiving day, I will find a moment to give thanks. My gratitude will include you, of course, and the sweet circumstance that allowed me to begin this blog and the sharing it offers.

I wish you blessings and gifts, joy and clarity.

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends.

And in the end the love you take

Is equal to the love you make.

John Lennon

 

Comments

[Jeanne]

Beautiful Candice - thank you.

[Dr. John Leckenby]

Dear Candice:

For the last 15 years or so I have awakened and gone outside and looked up at the beautiful Texas sky which is similar to Tuscany topography and say, "Thank-you god (with a little g) for another day" and then "Help me to think positively."

I am thinking, presumptively, you may do something similar.

Love your positive living thoughts!

Best,

John l

[Dr. John Leckenby]

Dear Candice:

I'm so happy you can express my feelings about Thanksgiving which I share with so many of my friends. I have forwarded your comments to them via email.

I am hoping I can get my amigos to San Pancho from Rhode Island and Georgia one day. They all have been there for our one hour trip from PV.

Best,

John l

[Darren Ballegeer]

Wow, what a beautifully-written piece! Wonderful insights and reminders for everyone. Gratitude can certainly be its own 'religion'. thank you.

[Sheri]

I wrote down a list of gratitude today and, of course, your name was on it.
Love you girl!
S

[Char]

So beautifully said Candice...love to you this day and thank you for the years of heartfelt friendship. xoxo

[Gretchen Goodliffe]

that was so powerful, and easily made me cry... as did the photo and quote from someone who should be still among us... Thanks Candice... i am happy to be back in your blog world