Even when things go horribly wrong,
even when your dreams die and your plans crumble,
even when loved ones leave and things you never thought you'd lose are lost,
you can always contact a place of humility, surrender, even awe.
And yes, it's not always easy, and no, this release doesn't always come quickly.
But when forgiveness is your path, and
love is your reason for being alive at all, and
awakening is burning in your heart, then
gratitude will never be far away.
Gratitude...
For connection with a loved one, in the present.
For the air in your lungs.
For each precious breath.
For the clothes on your body, however tattered.
For the teeth in your mouth, however uneven it is.
For the hair on your head, however thin.
For the liquid you drink, the food you eat,
For the good earth that provides so much.
For the kindness of a stranger, the brutal honesty of a friend, the unexpected and unclaimed gifts of every day.
A part of your body begins to fail, and you appreciate how long it has served you without complaint. Your car is stolen, and you feel gratitude and love for how long you were able to bond with it, you sink into the sweet impermanence of things.
A loved one leaves, or passes on, and you appreciate all those moments you spent together, never knowing what the future was going to bring.
An encounter with an angry being shows you your inner strength and your capacity for compassion, and reminds you how deeply people are hurting inside and need your kindness.
You pay your taxes begrudgingly, unwillingly, then suddenly one day, you appreciate the quality of life you take for granted here, and you burst into song.
The skies burst open and torrential rain 'ruins' your day, and out of the blue, there is torrential gratitude for the water that allows life to flourish.
You lost your job, you mourn, you wail, you scream, and then one morning, it clicks: you are free, free to pursue the thing you always wanted to pursue, the courageous thing, the risky thing, the thing that makes you feel alive.
You love and let go. You mourn, and celebrate transience.
You find your true home in insecurity. You fall in love not with the destination, but with the ground upon which you take each step.
Find a place of gratitude today.
Find yourself appreciating something for no reason, however small, however silly.
And know that there is nothing small or silly when seen through the eyes of God.
When you are magical, everything is magical.
jf/ps/smoh
