Gratitude is what seems to be filling my mind and heart over this past week. Gratitude for so much that is shaping my life, as if the level of appreciation I had before this wasn’t enough. Each incident so seemingly small and yet so powerful in its effect on my experience.
That’s what this blog is about: the gift of Gratitude that can super-charge our spiritual journey. My hope is that something you read here in this blog will touch you and serve as a reminder of just how much gratitude you’re experiencing in your life and how important it is that we give voice to our appreciation through what we think, say and do.
Amy Collette, author of “The Gratitude Connection: Embrace the positive power of thanks,” says this: “Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It’s the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul.” And that is certainly my experience of late.
In a recent Quantum Living class for both certified coaches and students, we were introduced to an NVC (Non-Violent Communication) exercise for achieving expanded levels of empathy for one’s self and for others; it was a HeartMath Quick Coherence practice, a form of very brief meditation. While prayer and meditation is and has been, for a long time, part of my daily morning practice, this particular experience opened my heart space in a way and to a level I haven’t recently experienced; I felt the power of gratitude and I received a very clear understanding and “knowing” of my connection with, my Oneness with another being whom I dearly love. Despite seeming differences we had had earlier in the week, there was no separation, there was no judgment or need for being right; there was only understanding and compassion. And immense gratitude.
And can you believe this?? Just yesterday I opened a fortune cookie (NO, I didn’t eat the cookie! – NMF) and it read: “After readying the every emotion, there is understanding entering the realm.” A coincidence? I don’t think so.
Another unexpected yet timely gift from Spirit was my calling to mind a beautiful young soul, Mattie J. T. Stepanek, who wrote “Heartsongs,” a book of inspired poetry. And one poem, in particular, “Making Real Sense of the Senses,” touched me deeply as I know it will you. So here it is:
“Our eyes are for looking at things,
But they are also for crying
When we are very happy or very sad.
Our eyes are for listening.
But so are our hearts.
Our noses are for smelling food
But also the wind and the grass and
If we try very hard, butterflies.
Our hands are for feeling.
But also for hugging and touching so gently.
Our mouths and tongues are for tasting.
But also for saying words, like
‘I love you,’ and
‘Thank you God, for all of these things.’”
Here’s another seemingly simple and small gift that came when I was beginning to become frustrated over not finding a source for some Q Effect worksheets I needed to prepare for one of their classes. I decided to contact the trainer who was presenting the class. Within minutes, I received a copy of the training book that contained all I could ever need in the way for information and worksheets for all phases of the training. That may have seemed to the person delivering me the material a “no big deal,” but for me it was a “Godsend.”
There are so many reasons I have to be grateful and I have the need to express it in the hope that you will take a few moments of your time—if you haven’t already today—to “Think Upon These Things,” to use the title of Krishnamurti’s book, as an invitation to find greater joy and peace in your life…through gratitude.
There are so many reasons to feel gratitude for the life we are given to live and fulfill! We just need to be open to seeing and hearing all the little and not-so-little expressions of divine order that are available to us and for us…if we only are seeing and listening, guided by our hearts, and supported by our human capacities to reason and take action.
Love and Light, Steven