Gratitude Lounge Welcome! We are glad you are here. This is an open space where everyone belongs, and everyone is welcome. Please introduce yourself as you feel comfortable and join in sharing your experience of grateful living. To get started you might reflect upon questions such as these: What am I grateful for? What is grateful living inspiring me to do? What are some blessings in my life (including ones in disguise)? How am I being supported right now? What connects me to wonder, awe, or a sense of the sacred? You are welcome to include images and links for videos to illustrate your reflections. Click here to cancel reply.Please log in or Create a Profile to post a comment. Mary11 mins agoMaryDiane, Thank you for your meditation. Just wanted to let you know that I responded to you below. Mary 0 Reply Mary19 mins agoMaryDear Ose, I just read your blessing from Tuesday. Thank you for your words. I just copied into my journal- “May we all expand into our true nature of being.” This inspired me. I also appreciate about you, Ose, how much you care and always pray for those who are forgotten and those who are suffering. Your heart is so good. Thank you for your light. Mary 0 Reply Ana2 hours agoAnaAll, I’m so grateful for a job opportunity that I have been waiting for a long time! I feel like it’s purpose driven and I’ll be able to make a difference and help others even more! So excited to begin! 1 Reply Mary3 mins agoMaryDear Ana, This sounds wonderful and so exciting! I am happy for you. Mary 0 Reply Mary Pat15 hours agoMary PatToday I start my first class in many years. A bit of anxiety fills my soul, because it will be a challenge, but one I am grateful for bringing into my life. It was my decision, and this year will be a new adventure. At almost 72 years old, it will take time for me to use my brain in a different way, but that is good. I am grateful for my friends, who are supportive, my husband-even though he wonders why I am doing this and not just gliding along in old age-and a place to come to with love stre...Today I start my first class in many years. A bit of anxiety fills my soul, because it will be a challenge, but one I am grateful for bringing into my life. It was my decision, and this year will be a new adventure. At almost 72 years old, it will take time for me to use my brain in a different way, but that is good. I am grateful for my friends, who are supportive, my husband-even though he wonders why I am doing this and not just gliding along in old age-and a place to come to with love streaming through the pages of the internet. May all be well. And on to my new adventure! Read More3 Reply Cailinrua9 hours agoCailinruaGood for you, Mary Pat. Embarking on a new path instead of gliding passively into “old age” is something to be applauded. The life force and desire to grow more and become who you are meant to me are winning here! Bravo! 2 Reply Anna13 hours agoAnnaI wish you the best, Mary Pat! you are brave and I am sure you will enrich the class. I will look at you as an example because sometimes I really fear my aging. So, I look forward to know something about your new adventure😊 !! 3 Reply Patjos13 hours agoPatjosI sometimes wonder about how I will be with old age, but sometimes remember that wherever we go, we will always find Love waiting there for us already. 4 Reply Pilgrim13 hours agoPilgrimEnjoy your new adventure, Mary Pat! I imagine your wisdom will add much to the class and learning. 3 Reply Cathy14 hours agoCathyOh, Mary Pat, I would love to hear more about your class! I’m so excited about what interests all of us. At age 60 I left the corporate world and started my own business. Three years later I am loving my work and notice the opportunities that force my mind to stretch. I am grateful for this time in my life. And for new friends. Thank you for this post that made me think about how we find ways to keep our minds active and sharp. 3 Reply Patjos19 hours agoPatjosMy eldest daughter visited last night. We had a lovely evening playing a board game together, talking about her work, her car troubles, her partner’s kidney stones. We smiled and laughed, drank tea and just enjoyed being together. It was such a welcome change from the routine of other evenings lately. After speaking for awhile about the rise of kindness in the workplace we then had a lovely conversation about the Light of Love. How the Love is inside us always, and yet all around us at the sam...My eldest daughter visited last night. We had a lovely evening playing a board game together, talking about her work, her car troubles, her partner’s kidney stones. We smiled and laughed, drank tea and just enjoyed being together. It was such a welcome change from the routine of other evenings lately. After speaking for awhile about the rise of kindness in the workplace we then had a lovely conversation about the Light of Love. How the Love is inside us always, and yet all around us at the same time, and yet being all of the atoms and molecules and even photons of Light and energy all at the same time. And how we cannot be anything else than One with all of that and that the only perceived separation is in our mind. And because there’s no separation and we are always One, a prayer is a heartfelt wish, a form of energy which has come to us from the Universe which we are a part of and goes out from us, through us back into the Universe which is forever healing, expanding, Loving. The evening was a real blessing. Just wanted to share that with you all. Read More3 Reply Anna13 hours agoAnnaA very deep conversation, a gift for a parent! You are so kind Patjos, to share your joy with us. It is always a wonderful sharing when we talk about our life, the moments of love, prayer, inspiration, pain, which lead us to a deeper and humble awareness of our interconnection. 2 Reply Patjos13 hours agoPatjosYes it is such a gift. We have shared many similar over the years, and many more to come I’m sure. A beautiful relationship, an extraordinary lady. Yes, I enjoy a heartfelt share 🙂 2 Reply Mary Pat14 hours agoMary PatYes, Patjos, we are all connected…and isn’t it grand?! 2 Reply Patjos13 hours agoPatjosYes indeed, exquisitely so 🙂 1 Reply Cathy14 hours agoCathyReading your post filled me with peaceful satisfaction. How many daughters do you have, Patjos? 1 Reply Patjos13 hours agoPatjosI have 4 daughters, 3 are grown up and 2 have children. My sons are aged 13 and 9. thank you for asking 🙂 And you, do you have children? 1 Reply Cathy12 hours agoCathyI have 3 wonderful sons, all grown and married. I love having daughters-in-law, my first time having girls around! But now, the most wonderful thing has happened! My oldest son and his wife just had twins- a boy and a girl! 3 Reply Patjos12 hours agoPatjosHow wonderful, it’ll be so great to see them growing all over again 🙂 1 Reply Anna13 hours agoAnnaPatjos, you have a wonderful family!!! 2 Reply Pilgrim17 hours agoPilgrimWhat a wonderful and profound conversation to have with your daughter, Patjos! A blessing, indeed. Thank you for sharing this. 3 Reply Cathy1 day agoCathyThis is how I envision my Path today. I sense peace here. There is a gate in the background so I know a change in direction will be soon. I sense wonderment and anticipation. (This photo has a filter applied.) 7 Reply Mary Pat15 hours agoMary PatReally like this photo….peaceful and filled with light….thank you for sharing it! 2 Reply Patjos19 hours agoPatjosHow lovely to see your path this way. ‘Expect the unexpected’ comes to mind 🙂 2 Reply Cathy16 hours agoCathyOh, I like that, Patjos! Yes! 2 Reply cp2 days agocpTo all who knew Ursula ... I want to thank you all for every encouraging word, empathic listening and in general for being so supportive to her. Today is the second time I visit the gratitude lounge since she died in late July, and when I read Alicia Mary Anns New Years‘ post, I decided to create an account in order to be able to express my deepest gratefulness to everyone (especially you, Alicia), who still keeps the memory alive. It touched my heart reading that you also think of us, U...To all who knew Ursula … I want to thank you all for every encouraging word, empathic listening and in general for being so supportive to her. Today is the second time I visit the gratitude lounge since she died in late July, and when I read Alicia Mary Anns New Years‘ post, I decided to create an account in order to be able to express my deepest gratefulness to everyone (especially you, Alicia), who still keeps the memory alive. It touched my heart reading that you also think of us, Ursulas family, in these difficult times which we are still experiencing … I especially appreciate that you carry on celebrating common prayer day on Tuesdays – which Ursula initiated as far as I know. It warms my heart to see that her traces are still visible in your gratitude community. I am truly convinced that it was her strong belief and also your support that nourished her inner power and made her „beat the statistics“ of her illness for so long and with such an enormous energy. Now she is in peace, but it was far too early. We miss her more than words can tell … Her „little“ sister, CP P. S.: My daughters created these stones with her „gratitude lounge“ profile picture on it for her birthday in August. They are now on her grave … Read More 4 Reply Mary52 mins agoMaryDear CP, The stones your daughters created are beautiful - bright green, with the simple but lovely daisies. Yes I remember seeing these daisies on this website and feeling joyful to hear from your sister Ursula. I felt very close to Ursula, CP. I could hardly believe it when she passed. Ursula was very loved and meant so much to this community.. I invite you, CP, to continue to write in and to feel yourself a part of this community as well. We welcome you with open arms. We share in y...Dear CP, The stones your daughters created are beautiful – bright green, with the simple but lovely daisies. Yes I remember seeing these daisies on this website and feeling joyful to hear from your sister Ursula. I felt very close to Ursula, CP. I could hardly believe it when she passed. Ursula was very loved and meant so much to this community.. I invite you, CP, to continue to write in and to feel yourself a part of this community as well. We welcome you with open arms. We share in your pain at losing Ursula. I would love to hear more from you, how you are coping, and how things are going for you. But I also understand that while you may enjoy writing in, you might prefer to write less and that is fine too. Either way I consider you part of this community and I send my love to you, to your daughter’s, and to your whole family. Sending love from my heart to yours, 💕💕💕 Mary Read More0 Reply grateful sea1 day agograteful seaDear CP, thank you so much for sharing this with us. You have given us a gift that brings tears to my eyes. With joy I see Ursula’s icon on the stones. As the others have written, there is not a Tuesday that goes by that I do not think of Ursula and miss her dearly and say a prayer for you — her family. Peace to you, friend. Sent with love from grateful sea. 4 Reply Palm2 days agoPalmThank you so much, dear cp, for your post. I am deeply touched and comforted, as it shows the continuity of our friendship with Ursula, through this site. We all miss her dearly, I miss seeing her icon here. As Anna said, she is here with us, and it warms my heart to see that the Lounge is there with her too, on the painted stones. And now we have your friendship, it is very appreciated. I see the two stones symbolising you both. Yes, Ursula initiated our Prayer Tuesdays, it is a gift she left ...Thank you so much, dear cp, for your post. I am deeply touched and comforted, as it shows the continuity of our friendship with Ursula, through this site. We all miss her dearly, I miss seeing her icon here. As Anna said, she is here with us, and it warms my heart to see that the Lounge is there with her too, on the painted stones. And now we have your friendship, it is very appreciated. I see the two stones symbolising you both. Yes, Ursula initiated our Prayer Tuesdays, it is a gift she left us. For me it has become a sacred practice of communion. I will be thinking of your whole family, especially every Tuesday. Love and blessings. Read More5 Reply Ose2 days agoOseDear cp, thank you for sharing here about you and your family´s process of dealing with the loss of your sister. There is no Tuesday without thinking on your sister Ursula. In a way, she was like a sister to me also, and we all miss her here in the lounge. Please know that Ursula will stay in our hearts. You and your and Ursula´s family are in my prayers, too. 5 Reply Anna2 days agoAnnaDear CP, you are welcome! When I read your post, it was like Ursula was here, I feel tears in my eyes. This nickname Ursi … these wonderful stones on the grave, with her joyous icon … CP, no Tuesday passes on that I don’t remember Ursula, her courage was an example for me. She is in my prayers, as well as her family and relatives. She shines in this Lounge, she “is” here. Thank you, dear CP for visiting us, it’s a gift. 5 Reply Diane2 days agoDianeDear CP....how kind and gracious of you to visit us here. I believe that Ursula is smiling at this from her home in the heavens. I am deeply sorry for your family's loss of such an incredible and courageous woman....Ursula was, and still is, an inspiration to me and I am humbled and grateful beyond words that I had the privilege of knowing her and sharing our journeys together across the miles. The stones are such a beautiful tribute to her love, compassion, vulnerability and generosity of...Dear CP….how kind and gracious of you to visit us here. I believe that Ursula is smiling at this from her home in the heavens. I am deeply sorry for your family’s loss of such an incredible and courageous woman….Ursula was, and still is, an inspiration to me and I am humbled and grateful beyond words that I had the privilege of knowing her and sharing our journeys together across the miles. The stones are such a beautiful tribute to her love, compassion, vulnerability and generosity of heart to all of us here in this sacred community. I miss her presence here deeply but know that she is in peace, although we would have preferred she be here with us on this Earth longer. ~Her light and love shine on. You and your entire family are in my prayers. God bless you as you carry on through your sadness and loss. With grateful love ♥ Read More7 Reply Carla2 days agoCarladear cp, I join others welcoming you here. May you & your family know you are carried by many with our thoughts & prayers as you walk through your grief & loss of Ursula. 6 Reply Pilgrim2 days agoPilgrimDear CP, thank you so very much for your post in the gratitude lounge. Not a Tuesday goes by that I, and many others here, do not remember Ursula and her loving heart. I am so sorry for your loss, and that of your whole family. Your daughters have created a beautiful remembrance of Ursula, immediately recognizable as her icon here. Many, many blessings to all of you. 5 Reply Diane3 days agoDianeDear friends: It is Tuesday evening here and the winter's darkness has settled over us. I am tired from a full day of working but grateful that I was well enough to do so. I have just put our dinner in the oven and am heading towards the sofa. But first I wanted to share a mantra that I sat with today as part of a reflection on stillness. I am learning that there is great joy and comfort in carving out some time each day for stillness. I am grateful for this awareness. -Be Still and kno...Dear friends: It is Tuesday evening here and the winter’s darkness has settled over us. I am tired from a full day of working but grateful that I was well enough to do so. I have just put our dinner in the oven and am heading towards the sofa. But first I wanted to share a mantra that I sat with today as part of a reflection on stillness. I am learning that there is great joy and comfort in carving out some time each day for stillness. I am grateful for this awareness. -Be Still and know that I am God -Be Still and know that I am -Be Still and know -Be Still -Be ~My lovely companions on this journey….may you be filled with comfort and joy on this our united prayer day. With grateful love♥ Read More7 Reply Mary38 mins agoMaryThank you for this Diane. So beautiful.. I am realizing, especially today, that my heart and spirit yearn for stillness and meditation. Love to you Diane! Mary 0 Reply Cathy2 days agoCathyThank you for sharing this mantra, Diane. It speaks to me. 2 Reply Ose3 days agoOseStill Tuesday, our prayer day. What a day, no better day than today to say thank you from all my heart to all of you for your being here with me. No better day than today to pray for the ones in distress. May your suffering cease, may love be the guiding light to calm and to find peace of heart and soul. I once read that freedom cannot be found. It simply is, as something which never got lost cannot be found either. May we all expand into our true nature of being. May you be blessed, dear frie...Still Tuesday, our prayer day. What a day, no better day than today to say thank you from all my heart to all of you for your being here with me. No better day than today to pray for the ones in distress. May your suffering cease, may love be the guiding light to calm and to find peace of heart and soul. I once read that freedom cannot be found. It simply is, as something which never got lost cannot be found either. May we all expand into our true nature of being. May you be blessed, dear friends here in the lounge, and beyond. Read More6 Reply Patjos2 days agoPatjosThank you. 1 Reply Anna3 days agoAnnaOse, your prayers seem hymns of true joy, a joy you feel after a deep suffering. Now the sky above you is blue. Know peace. I am happy with you and I pray your words by joining you across the Alps in a virtual embrace. 5 Reply Ose2 days agoOseThank you so much for your understanding and your touching reply, dear Anna. Hope your sadness has completely gone. My prayers are with you, dear friend. A big hug to you, with love, Ose 3 Reply Anna2 days agoAnna🌸 2 Reply Maryke3 days agoMarykeI’ve had a vision of what I should do and I’m all ready to go … got all the ideas, but struggling to concentrate due to depression. Please send positive vibes. 4 Reply Carla2 days agoCarlaMaryke, welcome to this cyber community. I have found a lot of support in my journey here. May you too! Namaste 3 Reply Diane3 days agoDianeDear Maryke: You are surrounded in light and enfolded in love. All will be well, all will be well, and all manner of things will be well. ~Om Shanti ♥ 2 Reply Anna3 days agoAnnaBlessings Maryke. May you find the firm courage to carry your plans out, may you find peace and discernment in that, I send you good vibes. 3 Reply Ose3 days agoOseBlessings to you, dear Maryke. May you feel that you too are held in boundless love, and that we all are together in this. You are not alone, dear friend. May the light of love brighten your heart and mind to find strength and courage to follow your ideas. Warmly, Ose 4 Reply Patjos3 days agoPatjosSurrounding you in Love and Light and Peace my friend. I see you bathed in a golden healing Light 🙂 3 Reply Cathy3 days agoCathyThe brightness of a moment, while welcome, can also be glaringly painful. There is much to learn and we have a brand new day for it! 3 Reply Ann4 days agoAnnDear all: Tomorrow is Tuesday. It seems to me, however, after reading many of what has transpired here lately that a Prayer-Day Tuesday might be a nice addition. (I am sure it must be Tuesday already somewhere on this planet as I write this). So, blessings to all! 5 Reply Patjos3 days agoPatjosMay there be peace within this place. May there be peace within our hearts, the peace found in silence, acceptance and letting go, that it may birth once again the joy of compassion in our hearts. 2 Reply Pilgrim3 days agoPilgrimBeautiful. Thank you, Patjos. 3 Reply Anna3 days agoAnnaDear Ann it is Tuesday also by me, 🌸. A prayer for you all. We will see this evening! 2 Reply Palm4 days agoPalmYes, dear Ann, it was already Prayer-Day Tuesday by me when you wrote :-). May all beings be safe May all beings be happy May all beings be free from suffering May all beings be at ease 5 Reply Anna3 days agoAnnaI love this prayer Palm! 3 Reply Ann4 days agoAnnThank you, Palm, for your reply and blessings. Much appreciated. 3 Reply Anna4 days agoAnnaDear friends, I answer to all of you who have supported me with your words, here below. Thank you my dear friends, I "feel" your love, your friendship and your support. I have no words, oh if I could write a poem, send you flowers ... offer you a good coffee with chocolate ... No cloud over me, only, from time to time, the memory of this bitter experience. But I did my work, my dinner for my family, my gym, so many blessings! I will meditate if there is something to learn, I am sure there is...Dear friends, I answer to all of you who have supported me with your words, here below. Thank you my dear friends, I “feel” your love, your friendship and your support. I have no words, oh if I could write a poem, send you flowers … offer you a good coffee with chocolate … No cloud over me, only, from time to time, the memory of this bitter experience. But I did my work, my dinner for my family, my gym, so many blessings! I will meditate if there is something to learn, I am sure there is. I am so grateful, I send you all my love, Palm, Pilgrim, Patjos, Diane, Grateful Sea, from my heart. Read More5 Reply Diane3 days agoDianeSending you even more love my gentle and gracious friend ♥ 2 Reply Pilgrim3 days agoPilgrimDear Anna, I read this with my morning coffee, and my heart is glad. So many blessings, my friend. 3 Reply Palm4 days agoPalmMe too, dear Anna, I am so happy to see you brighten up again. Thank you for the virtual coffee and chocolate, I can almost taste it and feel the company of friends together… A lovely thought, thank you. Sending love 5 Reply Ose4 days agoOseDear Anna, you are such a beautiful soul. I cannot recall a single situation where you have hurt me or someone else throughout all these years we share here in this sacred space. May no trace of bitterness be left in you. I am so happy to see you brighten up again. Blessings be with you, dear friend. 5 Reply Anna3 days agoAnnaDear Ose, thank you. Your friendship is a treasure. 4 Reply Ose3 days agoOseHave a blessed day, dear Anna! 4 Reply Diane4 days agoDianeGood morning lovely friends Today I am grateful for the gift of solitude. Last week was busy...and I am very grateful that I was able to "do" and "accomplish". It was encouraging and a reminder that, if I am patient, wellness and energy to some extent will come around again. But I have found that when I am out in the world for any length of time, I begin to crave the gifts of silence and solitude....for it is here that I can get in touch with my heart and the Divine dwelling there. It w...Good morning lovely friends Today I am grateful for the gift of solitude. Last week was busy…and I am very grateful that I was able to “do” and “accomplish”. It was encouraging and a reminder that, if I am patient, wellness and energy to some extent will come around again. But I have found that when I am out in the world for any length of time, I begin to crave the gifts of silence and solitude….for it is here that I can get in touch with my heart and the Divine dwelling there. It was a bitterly cold weekend here….my firbromyalgia spiked and I was in a lot of pain. Maybe the “doing” of the previous week contributed as well….another reminder that I need to pace myself! But I am grateful for the topical pain lotion that my husband massaged into my muscles and for the applied heat and for ibuprofen. And for the glass of red wine and cozy blanket as we watched the football game together. This was especially healing because my husband and I had a bit of an uncomfortable exchange yesterday. We both ended up mad at each other, each for our own reasons. I find myself grateful for this because of the awareness I had of what had triggered this for me personally and with this awareness came compassion for him and healing between us. My spiritual journey is characterized to a significant extent with the inner work of letting go. I understand intellectually why this is so hard for me…. but my heart needs frequent reminders! I find myself grateful lately for the painful situations that help me to grow in this even though it doesn’t always feel good! And so today….after all the “doing” it is nice to just “be”. With my thoughts and with the weariness that comes with the aftermath of intense emotions. Today in the U.S. we celebrate the life of Martin Luther King, so this morning I watched a video of his “I have a dream” speech. It moved me to tears. I welcome these emotions….sadness for the loss of this great man, but also joy and gratitude for his inspiring message of love and hope that is immortal. ~Be blessed dear friends ♥ Read More6 Reply Cathy3 days agoCathy‘And so today….after all the “doing” it is nice to just “be”.’ ← I love this sentence, Diane. 2 Reply Drew Blanton4 days agoDrew BlantonI’m grateful for Pocket. That’s a website that makes articles and blogs easier for people with poor vision to read. My vision’s so poor that I need to go up to the screen to read it. 5 Reply Patjos3 days agoPatjosTechnology never ceases to amaze me. When it’s put to so much good use it’s a real blessing to us all. I have a friend who uses a screen reader and it’s simply amazes me how she can hear the program read out what we see at an incredible speed – I think it reads the screen at a faster rate than I can view it all! 2 Reply Diane4 days agoDianeDear Drew….how wonderful that you have found this! And I am grateful that you are also a part of this community here with us. ~Have a blessed day Drew ♥ 2 Reply Anna4 days agoAnnaDear friends, I feel so sad if I think I have hurt someone here or in the daily question. It was never my intention. Tonight I will be here and try to say something, now I go to my job. Please, give me your blessings, I’m brought to tears now. And suggest me how to be better with all of you and other friends. With sincere love. Anna 3 Reply grateful sea4 days agograteful seaAnna, dear Anna, bless you, beautiful friend. I do not doubt for one second the goodness of your heart and your intentions. Sending so much love from grateful sea. 3 Reply Diane4 days agoDianeMy dearest Anna.....we have been together here for many years and I want you to know sincerely from my heart that I count you as one of the greatest blessings in my life. Your wise and kind and compassionate words have inspired and helped me more times than I can count. We are an ocean apart but yet I know this about you with certainty...that you give freely from your heart with love always. I desire to be more like you my friend. Please know that you are a treasure to me and to everyone her...My dearest Anna…..we have been together here for many years and I want you to know sincerely from my heart that I count you as one of the greatest blessings in my life. Your wise and kind and compassionate words have inspired and helped me more times than I can count. We are an ocean apart but yet I know this about you with certainty…that you give freely from your heart with love always. I desire to be more like you my friend. Please know that you are a treasure to me and to everyone here. Cara Anna….may you be blessed today with comfort and with the joy of knowing that you are so loved. I am so grateful for you. ~Om Shanti dear friend ♥ Read More3 Reply Pilgrim4 days agoPilgrimDear Anna, I hold you in my prayers, that you will not take into your heart and your being any negativity. I have never found you to be anything other than kind and compassionate here, and think that is how you are in your everyday life. I carry you in my heart this day. 3 Reply Patjos4 days agoPatjosWe get it right, we get it wrong sometimes, but always there is Love. Always inside all of us all of the time, there is Love, and that’s all that matters. Let’s live out of that Love, Loving one another the best we can, Loving ourselves the best we can (especially ourselves!). Be Love today, for it’s who we are, even at our worst 😊 2 Reply Palm4 days agoPalmPatjos, Anna didn’t get anything wrong. She only got an unsensitive and unfair reply below, and she is hurt. In a general context, however, your words are beautiful, thank you 2 Reply Patjos4 days agoPatjosThank you. I’m grateful for you all today. 🙂 2 Reply Diane4 days agoDianeDear Patjos…..I just checked and found that you and I both joined this sacred community just a couple of months apart in 2016! I am so grateful to see you back with us again here “old” friend! ~Blessings ♥ 3 Reply Pilgrim4 days agoPilgrimSame, Patjos. You weren’t here for some time, and I am glad you have returned. Peace. 3 Reply Palm4 days agoPalmAnna, you have done nothing wrong, dear friend. I give you my blessings and love. I wish you a peace filled day, and that you can do your job efficiently with no cloud over you. It’s not your making, so I have nothing to suggest. Sincerely, Palm 4 Reply Pilgrim4 days agoPilgrimYes, please, dear Anna, do not take this on as your doing, or error, or any such thing. You have a beautiful heart, my friend. Please do not take another’s negativity into your heart or your day. 3 Reply Trev the Ancient5 days agoTrev the AncientThis song is very wholesome and has to be what we can label family rap. Just grateful someone as wise as The Grouch is still making music. Hip-hop isn’t what it used to be but there is still much to be grateful for. 0 Reply Mary3 days agoMaryLoved the video Trev! Mary 0 Reply Ann5 days agoAnnThough I’d often described my childhood as an experience of abuse, chaos and confusion, today’s question of the day helped me acknowledge and appreciate something of value I learned from my mother. It seems now that step by step and bit by bit, I can see what is/was good instead of ONLY seeing the awful parts of the “truth”. 5 Reply Trev the Ancient5 days agoTrev the AncientSorry to hear that about your childhood Ann! Nice work with the daily questions 😊 1 Reply Ann5 days agoAnnThank you, Trev the Ancient, for your reply. 1 Reply Palm5 days agoPalmDear Ann, I had just read the answers to the question of today before “coming to the Lounge” …I found yours very helpful, as I try to guide my own daughter to be self reliable. As Anna suggested, it would be more comfortable for me not to push her and do everything for her, but reading your posts I realise I would be doing more harm than good. Thank you for sharing your heart. 2 Reply Ann5 days agoAnnDear Palm: Thank you for your reply. May you have the balance that works well in your parenting. My childhood, as mentioned, was filled with abuse, chaos and confusion. I am grateful I was able, because of the daily question prompt, to find something about my mother I could appreciate. 2 Reply Palm5 days agoPalmThank you dear Ann, for your support. I am so sorry about the chaos of your childhood, I imagine due to unconsciousness from the adults. I am grateful that you are finding the practice on this site helpful, thanks again for sharing and being with us here 1 Reply Ann5 days agoAnnDear Palm: Thank you, Palm, for your reply. It is very much appreciated. 1 Reply Anna5 days agoAnnaDear Ann, although I love reading the answers in the Question of the day, I try not to answer, because I have the feeling of annoying the community that visits that part of the site. I don't post much there because it takes me a long time to find a correct way to express my opinion (oh dear Ann, I just think I express myself correctly, but I'm not so sure !!!). Your mother told you such a truth that my mother would never have told me. Oh Ann, the cause is certainly a different cultural backgr...Dear Ann, although I love reading the answers in the Question of the day, I try not to answer, because I have the feeling of annoying the community that visits that part of the site. I don’t post much there because it takes me a long time to find a correct way to express my opinion (oh dear Ann, I just think I express myself correctly, but I’m not so sure !!!). Your mother told you such a truth that my mother would never have told me. Oh Ann, the cause is certainly a different cultural background, I firmly believe that if my mother had had more courage, more awareness, more love for herself and for life in all its aspects, she would have spoken to me like your mother. She chose another path, apparently safer, more socially accepted, but not good for the education and well-being of my mood. Now I have to fight against impatience, when she seeks me for my support. She is getting old, and for me it is a hard experience, which brings old annoying stories (another recent daily question …). But I think I am resilient, as many of us say today in their wise replies. I know I can start again and again, I am able to dream, inspite of my 55. I will find a way, I will get rid of my ancient sense of injustice, without hurting her, rather, by standing by her and helping her. With love Anna Read More3 Reply Trev the Ancient5 days agoTrev the AncientOh Anna how segregational (wrong word I am guessing LOL!) of you! Way to encourage a division among the community of this site!! I better see your answers there soon! (JK) 1 Reply Anna4 days agoAnnaDear Trevor, I also feel a strong sense of friendship for people in this virtual community, they have helped me and they always help me so much. I sincerely love them and feel good when I’m here. I don’t think that’s wrong, Trevor. Feelings are never wrong. 1 Reply Anna4 days agoAnnaTrevor, it's not my intention to be segregational. If I don't answer, I can't be segregatiknal, at best I might seem indifferent to people who know me. With the exception of the first year I visited this site, I always thought that the Lounge was the place where we can publish and reply and reply again, until the site accepts our answers, but it is not the same for the daily question. There, I sometimes send and reply, but not often. Maybe I'm wrong, and I'm open to your suggestions and also to ...Trevor, it’s not my intention to be segregational. If I don’t answer, I can’t be segregatiknal, at best I might seem indifferent to people who know me. With the exception of the first year I visited this site, I always thought that the Lounge was the place where we can publish and reply and reply again, until the site accepts our answers, but it is not the same for the daily question. There, I sometimes send and reply, but not often. Maybe I’m wrong, and I’m open to your suggestions and also to Ann and Pilgrim’s. Sometimes I choose how to be here because I don’t have much time and the Lounge is easier for me. Either way, I’m sure I’ve never brought divisions here. If you think so, I’m so sorry. I hope my words never hurt anyone. Read More1 Reply Mary3 days agoMaryDearest Anna. You are one of the kindest people I have ever known. I think Trev was kidding in his own way. Don’t be disturbed. You are kind and beautiful always. Sending love your way. 💕💕 Mary 1 Reply Palm5 days agoPalmI am shocked and sad by this reply 2 Reply Palm5 days agoPalmDear Anna, I understand and am with you wishing you strength and support, together with our friends. I too have recently re-lived old stories, I too feel insecure about responding the question of the day... I didn’t know what to do with my pain and shame repeating all over again when I recently asked for support from my family and I only got misunderstanding and unhelpful worry. Then just in time a dear friend, who is a therapist, said to me: abandon them (in a good way), do things in your own...Dear Anna, I understand and am with you wishing you strength and support, together with our friends. I too have recently re-lived old stories, I too feel insecure about responding the question of the day… I didn’t know what to do with my pain and shame repeating all over again when I recently asked for support from my family and I only got misunderstanding and unhelpful worry. Then just in time a dear friend, who is a therapist, said to me: abandon them (in a good way), do things in your own deep way, avoid drama, we are so fortunate just by having food and a roof over our heads, don’t take life too seriously, enjoy, it is their fear not yours. Her words have been so liberating to me I though everyone should hear them. My daughter’s tutor was also an angel at that time, with her validation “you feel let down”, she said… Still it wasn’t easy.. and then I remembered the gentle art of blessing, and lovingkindness meditation. I must admit that physical distance helped too… Things have calmed down and today I was surprised with words of support from my family via phone… the conflict in my heart has lessened, and I am grateful .. Read More2 Reply grateful sea4 days agograteful seaDear Palm, I am so glad the conflict in your heart is lessening. And thank you for sharing these words of your friend which you found so liberating. I take them in with hope as I have also been reliving old stories and struggling with family intensities/tangles that have kept me from being able to visit my parents since November and this has been painful. Yes, needing more lightness. I've been thinking so much of you and your daughter (who I affectionately think of as Palmetto -- little Palm)...Dear Palm, I am so glad the conflict in your heart is lessening. And thank you for sharing these words of your friend which you found so liberating. I take them in with hope as I have also been reliving old stories and struggling with family intensities/tangles that have kept me from being able to visit my parents since November and this has been painful. Yes, needing more lightness. I’ve been thinking so much of you and your daughter (who I affectionately think of as Palmetto — little Palm), hoping that the needed resources will flow to you, so that she will be “lit up” with learning opportunities just right for her. Sending love from grateful sea. Read More1 Reply Palm4 days agoPalmp.s. Palmetto is doing well, I am grateful for the resources and support we have at the moment, especially her tutor/friend, compassionate therapists, and the extra murals we have available… 1 Reply Palm4 days agoPalmDear grateful sea, BIG SMILE from this side, and a lighter heart after reading your words this early morning, and the name you’ve given my daughter :-) THANK YOU. It is so kind that you share your experience with family, I feel so much less alone… I have realised lately that tangles are more common than we think. I will be praying for more understanding within your family. May you be free from pain, dear friend. I wish you lots of self care and lighteness, I am needing it too… Thank you ...Dear grateful sea, BIG SMILE from this side, and a lighter heart after reading your words this early morning, and the name you’ve given my daughter 🙂 THANK YOU. It is so kind that you share your experience with family, I feel so much less alone… I have realised lately that tangles are more common than we think. I will be praying for more understanding within your family. May you be free from pain, dear friend. I wish you lots of self care and lighteness, I am needing it too… Thank you so much for just the perfect wishes you have for me and my daughter, I am always amazed by your understanding. Sending love from Palm Read More1 Reply Anna4 days agoAnnaThank you dear Palm, i will reply this evening, for the moment thank you!
