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. Notify me when someone replies to my comment via e-mail. Etta2 weeks agoEttaI don’t know about the habitat of most Lotuses, but these thrive in a murky pond. They help me remember that grace is always possible in times of hardship. 4 Reply Mica1 week agoMicaYup, Etta – lotuses bring beautiful flowers out of mud. Thanks for your lovely photo – it lifts me up (✿◡‿◡) 1 Reply Diane1 week agoDianeThank you Etta…so peace-filled! Reminds me of Monet’s water lilies at Giverny….one of my favorite paintings. 2 Reply Pilgrim2 weeks agoPilgrimThese were plentiful in the lake at our cottage when I was younger. We called them water lilies and the dragonflies liked them. Ours was not a swimming lake, so the bottom was not dredged and such, either. Sometimes a bit murky but good fishing! Thank you for your photo – gave me a trip down memory lane! 1 Reply grateful sea2 weeks agograteful seaSo lovely, Etta, thank you. 1 Reply Cathy2 weeks agoCathyoooo I love this. Beautiful, Etta! 1 Reply Anna2 weeks agoAnnaThank you Etta! That is grace! And a beautiful image! 1 Reply Diane2 weeks agoDianeGood morning lovely community.....I am so grateful for all the outpouring of light and love, comfort and healing wishes. They are a grace to me. I am sending emails and sympathy cards to my cousins and this connection has been a gift, despite the circumstances. My aunt lived a good long life and I picture her now with my grandmother, grandfather, my uncles and my father rejoicing at their cosmic heavenly reunion. I am at a peaceful place in my heart, no doubt in large part due to all of y...Good morning lovely community…..I am so grateful for all the outpouring of light and love, comfort and healing wishes. They are a grace to me. I am sending emails and sympathy cards to my cousins and this connection has been a gift, despite the circumstances. My aunt lived a good long life and I picture her now with my grandmother, grandfather, my uncles and my father rejoicing at their cosmic heavenly reunion. I am at a peaceful place in my heart, no doubt in large part due to all of your prayers and wishes and virtual hugs! With gratitude I share this reflection from Gunilla Norris. The book is called “A Mystic Garden: Working With Soil, Attending to Soul” and in it she takes the reader through the 4 seasons of gardening as a spiritual practice. This reflection is about the last days of summer. ~Om Shanti friends ♥ “Your feet are not lost. You are standing on the ground. Earth supports you in life, and you are held by it in death. The elements of earth are your very substance. Where is the decline?” Read More6 Reply Ose2 weeks agoOseThanks for the reverence to the ancestors and our own transience, dear Diane. So touching to ponder on this very sensitive theme through poetry of Gunilla Norris. Where is the decline? What awaits beyond, if at all? Thank you for your inspiring post. 1 Reply Diane1 week agoDiane💕 Blessings friend 2 Reply Anna2 weeks agoAnnaDiane, reading your words I opened a door. A new way to imagine our dear relatives who have died. So I too imagine a dear cousin, 90, who died in a resting house from the Coronavirus last March, chatting with my grandmother, as they used to do when they were alive. 1 Reply Diane1 week agoDianeCara Anna….It helps to have this image of a heavenly reunion. 😇 Blessings friend 1 Reply grateful sea2 weeks agograteful seaGood morning, Diane, I am truly grateful that your tender heart is feeling more at peace. Thank you for sharing from Gunilla Norris. I must admit that I have not been able to keep much of a garden this summer — but first thing every morning my bare feet greet the Earth with love, gratefulness, and blessing. Om shanti. 3 Reply Diane1 week agoDianeDear grateful sea…..we are together in our love and reverence for our sister Earth. 🌎 Blessings friend 1 Reply Drew Blanton2 weeks agoDrew BlantonHas anybody tried to upload a video in the lounge? I’ll try tonight. Not everybody can understand me, but this really needs to be said. I can already see that my video won’t upload from the message I just got. 1 Reply Serafina2 weeks agoSerafinaHi Drew, If you have a URL for the video that is the best way to go about it. We hope this was helpful. 1 Reply mfleshman2 weeks agomfleshmanI am grateful for the time spent together with friends. Sometimes life seems so short. We are pulled in so many different directions by competing priorities in life. Yet, I am blessed when I have moments to spend in the presence of others sharing true love. Thank you for these moments Lord! 🙏🏼 4 Reply grateful sea2 weeks agograteful seaHello mfleshman, thank you for taking the time to be here with us and share your reflection. 3 Reply Alicia2 weeks agoAliciaRemembering this is Ursula’s Prayer Tuesday. Wishing all well. Hoping you see this, cp. Keeping you and all your family in thought. 3 Reply Diane2 weeks agoDianeSo lovely to see you here dear Alicia. You always bring such warmth and caring to our sacred community ♥ 1 Reply grateful sea2 weeks agograteful seaDear Alicia, I am grateful for your kind heart and presence here. As Brother David says, “may your gratefulness overflow into blessing all around you.” 3 Reply Anna2 weeks agoAnnaI am with Pilgrim, dear Alicia. Feel embraced, my friend. 2 Reply Pilgrim2 weeks agoPilgrimDear Alicia, I am grateful to find your post here today. Many blessings, my friend. 2 Reply Palm2 weeks agoPalmThinking of you all in a special way today and grateful to read your beautiful posts. This one flowers every spring here in South Africa. 4 Reply Diane2 weeks agoDianeBrilliant Palm! I always love to see exotic pictures from your native South Africa. It is a world away from me but somehow you bring it closer. ~Om Shanti friend 2 Reply Mica2 weeks agoMicaLovely! Clivia? If so, we had one in our Isla Vista yard 2 Reply Palm1 week agoPalmHi Mica, yes, it’s Clivia. I had to look it up, I forgot the name although it’s a flower I see every year. Love and blessings to you on this prayer Tuesday, from Palm. 2 Reply Mica1 week agoMicaPrayer Tuesday – thanks for the reminder, Palm. Indeed, this prayer Tuesday has been good to me – and I hope to you, too 2 Reply Palm1 week agoPalmYes, Mica, I am glad to hear that, Prayer Tuesday has been good to me too. It anchors me to the community even when I find it difficult to write… 2 Reply Pilgrim2 weeks agoPilgrimSo very beautiful, dear Palm. Thank you! 2 Reply Palm1 week agoPalmDear Pilgrim, it was good to read from you last Tuesday, thank you. Love and blessings from Palm. 1 Reply Alicia2 weeks agoAliciaLovely, lovely. Rich color. Thank you. 2 Reply Palm1 week agoPalmThank you, dear Alicia, for your words last week. I pray you are well. Love and blessings from Palm. 1 Reply Anna2 weeks agoAnnaPalm! Your beautiful flowers! They don’t grow spontaneously here, in Italy, or maybe they can grow in the South, but not here in the North. I remember that my mother had a beautiful plant like yours, in pots, on her balcony! These flowers speak of joy, of surprise, of contentment! I am so happy to find you here dear Palm! 2 Reply Palm1 week agoPalmDear Anna, my friend, I was grateful for your words last week and happy to hear from you too. These flowers are planted in our neighbourhood’s gardens, including our complex. It is native from the area. I feel connected when you say that your mother had them in pots.. Love and blessings from Palm 1 Reply grateful sea2 weeks agograteful seaOh, Palm, it is gorgeous!!! I wondered if it is Clivia (?) which I had as a very special potted plant once and gave away when I moved cross-country. Amazing that it grows in nature there in South Africa. Orange and yellow are the colors of happiness to me. 2 Reply Palm1 week agoPalmDear grateful sea, my response took time but my thoughts have been with you, dear friend. Yes, it’s Clivia, I had to look it up. This one is planted in the Catholic Church gardens next to us. I have been taking a picture every year. Amazing that you had one potted across the ocean. Love and blessings from Palm 1 Reply Cathy2 weeks agoCathyI love this, Palm! 2 Reply Palm1 week agoPalmThank you, Cathy. I am grateful you are here with us. Love and blessings from Palm, a week later.. 2 Reply Mica2 weeks agoMicaThank you, Diane, for reminding me that it’s prayer Tuesday. I need that. The word of the day says to go outside when life seems too big to handle – but there’s too much smoke in the air for me to do that, and the smoke is ongoing, for who knows how long, and peak fire season hasn’t even begun. I woke from a forest fire nightmare, and I’m glad to be able to come here. 4 Reply Diane2 weeks agoDianeDearest Mica…..I’m saying a prayer that the conditions will continue to improve and that you can once again surround yourself with nature. ~Blessings ♥ 2 Reply Mica2 weeks agoMicaThank you, Dear Diane! My windows are open and my air purifire [I mean ‘purifier’] says the air is good! That’s wonderful progress. 1 Reply Alicia2 weeks agoAliciaMy heart is with you. I , too, am so very sorry you and so many are suffering. 1 Reply Mica2 weeks agoMicaThank you dear Alicia – I’m doing better now 1 Reply Anna2 weeks agoAnnaDear Mica, I am so sorry for you, dear friend. I hope that it will come to a quick end as soon as possible! My thoughts and heart are with you. 2 Reply Mica2 weeks agoMicaThank you, dear Anna – happily I have N95 masks that I ordered before the lockdown, and they are working well 3 Reply grateful sea2 weeks agograteful seaDear Mica, I’m glad you can come here and feel maybe a bit better in such an anxious situation. I say a special prayer for all beings affected by the fires. 2 Reply Mica2 weeks agoMicaThank you dear grateful sea – I could water all my balcony plants enthusiastically today, in an N95 mask, for the first time in nearly a month, because the young doves flew away yesterday 3 Reply grateful sea2 weeks agograteful seaIt is sweet to know that the young doves fledged. And I’m glad you, too, that you can reconnect with the slow joy of tending your balcony plants. When I water my houseplants, I like to linger and listen to them drink. 2 Reply Mica2 weeks agoMicaThat’s sweet, grateful sea. I used to fuss about how my plants wanted watering more often that I did it, but I decided just to tell the plants to let me know when they wanted watering, and that seems to work 1 Reply Diane2 weeks agoDianeLovely friends: So grateful to be here with you on this, our common prayer Tuesday. Especially on days like today when my thoughts are scattered and I'm easily distracted by emotions, events, memories, and "what-ifs" Being fully present here with you for a time, and remembering our dear Ursula, is a gift to my spirit. I received a call this week from one of my cousins, informing me that our 99 year old aunt had died from the coronavirus. Although she lived a good long life, this news h...Lovely friends: So grateful to be here with you on this, our common prayer Tuesday. Especially on days like today when my thoughts are scattered and I’m easily distracted by emotions, events, memories, and “what-ifs” Being fully present here with you for a time, and remembering our dear Ursula, is a gift to my spirit. I received a call this week from one of my cousins, informing me that our 99 year old aunt had died from the coronavirus. Although she lived a good long life, this news hit me hard and I am processing a lot of emotions. She was my godmother. And another lost connection to my dad, who died tragically in a fire when I was just 21 years old. Her passing has brought up a lot of memories and regrets for me….futile wishes to go back in time. I am trying to honor all of the emotions that are overwhelming me right now. And trying to find a way to honor her life. Although I hadn’t seen her in many years, I remember her as a caring big sister to my father and for that I am grateful. I treasure my time with you dear friends…..thank you for being here. ~With grateful love ♥ Read More5 Reply Pilgrim2 weeks agoPilgrimMy heart is with you, dear Diane. Your aunt was clearly a blessing in your life and her memory will continue to be with you always. What a good, long life she lived! And thank you for your kind words to all of us here. May kindness surround you and our family. 1 Reply Diane2 weeks agoDianeThank you from my heart dear friend ♥ 1 Reply Alicia2 weeks agoAliciaDear Diane, I am so very sorry for your loss. People we love never really are remembered by age but how we were loved by them and we loved them. I am so saddened you lost your Dad so tragically and at such a time in your life. It doesn’t matter it was years ago…years have nothing to do when there is a profound loss. 3 Reply Diane2 weeks agoDianeDear Alicia….your words are a comfort to me my friend. ♥ 1 Reply Ose2 weeks agoOseOh dear Diane, so sorry for your loss. I hope for you that your sadness and upset emotions may subside. I am with you in this, having experienced myself how easily emotions, events and memories can distract. May peace be with you. Gratefully, Ose 2 Reply Diane2 weeks agoDianeDearest Ose….thank you for your comfort and your blessings friend ♥ 1 Reply grateful sea2 weeks agograteful seaDear Diane, you write so beautifully through your tangled thoughts, feelings, memories. A deep bow to you dear friend. And a big hug. 1 Reply Diane2 weeks agoDianegrateful sea…..I feel embraced by your love and your hug. ♥ 1 Reply Anna2 weeks agoAnnaFeel warmly embraced dear Diane, my heart is with you. 1 Reply Diane2 weeks agoDianeGracie cara Anna….I am so grateful for you ♥ 1 Reply Cathy2 weeks agoCathyThinking of you, Diane. Sometimes I find myself drifting back to younger days, lost in remembrance of family ties and emotions. And then I feel sad to not have that any longer. And then I find myself regretting not working harder to create something similar for my boys. And then I say STOP. Not easy because at times I think we need to remember and dwell in some of that. Maybe it is cathartic. At any rate, I’m thinking kind thoughts for you and healing for your sad heart. xo 1 Reply Diane2 weeks agoDianeThank you for sharing Cathy….and for your kind and healing thoughts. ♥ 1 Reply Pilgrim2 weeks agoPilgrimDear Cathy, maybe we receive such inklings or reminders (invitations?) so we can “do better forward”? 2 Reply Palm2 weeks agoPalmDear Diane, my heart is with you. Like Mica, I send you a hug across the ocean. 1 Reply Diane2 weeks agoDianeDear Palm…..I am so grateful for the love and the hug. Thank you friend ♥ 2 Reply Mica2 weeks agoMicaHugs to you, Diane! Coronavirus – how sad. Warm wishes for healing (✿◡‿◡) 2 Reply Diane2 weeks agoDianeThank you for your hug and warm wishes my friend ♥ 2 Reply jfleshman2 weeks agojfleshmanIt blooms at night when few to almost none can see. What a beautiful gift from a creature once being ignored, giving hope to someone losing passion and motivation to go on life’s challenges. 7 Reply Ose2 weeks agoOseThank you so much for sharing this beauty, dear jfleshman, and a warm welcome. So touching beautiful. Your accompanying parable so moving, and inspiring. 2 Reply Anna2 weeks agoAnnaA surprise, I imagine I am in front of this flower … pure amazement … A true gift of nature. Thanks jfleshman! Also for your reflection by replying to Diane. 2 Reply Diane2 weeks agoDianeThank you for sharing jfleshman…..what a lovely and unique gift to the world is this dragon fruit flower! And I love the name! 😊 3 Reply jfleshman2 weeks agojfleshmanThis flower has soft petals, pure as ivory contrary to its stem which is hard outside and thorny. Just like us. We showed strength outside. We throw a facade to people that we are strong despite turmoil, battling difficult times. But deep inside, we felt weak and needy. Our hearts are soft like these petals. Our intentions are pure like the color of this flower despite the roughness of its mother stem. So let us be grateful for those few people who can see both of our sides. 4 Reply grateful sea2 weeks agograteful seaA warm hello to you, jfleshman, and thank you for sharing the beautiful gift that is the dragon fruit plant. 2 Reply jfleshman2 weeks agojfleshmanThis looks ugly upfront, a thorny plant, with no aesthetic beauty, untamed. This plant is called dragon fruit but once it flowers, it shows its beauty and elegance, giving a fruit that is therapeutic to mankind. 4 Reply Cathy2 weeks agoCathyI love dragon fruit!! 1 Reply Cathy2 weeks agoCathyEnd of August Sunrise, South Florida, USA. 6 Reply Diane2 weeks agoDianeI always enjoy your beautiful photos Cathy….thank you for sharing. I have 2 maple trees in my backyard that are similar in that they stand next to each other with just enough room for a hammock. I have named them “Romulus” and “Remus”and I love to lie in the hammock looking up through their canopy of leaves. Perhaps I will try to take a picture! ~Blessings ♥ 1 Reply Cathy2 weeks agoCathyOh I’d love to see a picture of them, Diane! And I love that you named them after the twin boys! 1 Reply grateful sea2 weeks agograteful seaDear Cathy, your peaceful photo made me smile when I realize these two trees are old friends, standing there together, touching, speaking through the years. Thank you for sharing. 1 Reply Cathy2 weeks agoCathyThank you, grateful sea. Years (maybe 20 or so) ago I wrote a little ditty about "Two Trees Tall." The inspiration came as I was sitting in a tent during a weeklong camping trip I took by myself. It was pouring rain and I sat very still in the tent, looking out the opening. Suddenly I noticed two very tall trees right in my sightline, even though I hadn't noticed them when I made camp. I still have that piece stashed away, somewhere. When I moved from Ohio to Florida and ended up here in this...Thank you, grateful sea. Years (maybe 20 or so) ago I wrote a little ditty about “Two Trees Tall.” The inspiration came as I was sitting in a tent during a weeklong camping trip I took by myself. It was pouring rain and I sat very still in the tent, looking out the opening. Suddenly I noticed two very tall trees right in my sightline, even though I hadn’t noticed them when I made camp. I still have that piece stashed away, somewhere. When I moved from Ohio to Florida and ended up here in this beach town situated on a canal, don’t you know these two royal palms grace my backyard? I think they are about 30 feet tall. And as you said, they have stood there together, touching, and speaking through the years. Only ten of which I’ve been here. How many more to come? xo Thank you for seeing that with me, my friend. Read More2 Reply grateful sea2 weeks agograteful seaI love your story, Cathy, and your poetic title. It is a wonderful moment, isn’t it, when we suddenly “see” what has been there all along? What a gift that you live in such close proximity to these two royal palms. Long may they sway! 1 Reply Drew Blanton2 weeks agoDrew BlantonThis is a photopainting of an aquarium. 5 Reply Anna2 weeks agoAnnaDrew, just like you were in front of an aquarium !!! Bravo! (Maybe Bravo in my native language has the same meaning as in yours!) 1 Reply Diane2 weeks agoDianeThank you for sharing Drew….it’s very peaceful gazing into an aquarium isn’t it? Have a wonderful day! 1 Reply grateful sea2 weeks agograteful seaOh, I love the bat rays — what a dream to fly in the water like that. It’s a great photopainting, Drew, thank you. 1 Reply Cathy2 weeks agoCathyWhen I open up big your photopainting, Drew, it seems like I am really looking into an aquarium through my monitor! I’m glad you posted this one. 1 Reply Mica2 weeks agoMicaThanks, Drew, Thanks Cathy – I opened up Drew’s picture. Now I’m looking fwd to opening up your beautiful sunset with beautiful palm trees. Warm wishes 1 Reply Etta2 weeks agoEttaWith each cycle of my life, with each turn of the world, I find myself returning again to gratitude. 9 Reply Diane2 weeks agoDianeDear Etta….thank you for sharing your grateful heart with us ♥ 2 Reply grateful sea2 weeks agograteful seaBeautiful, Etta. Thank you for speaking your heart. 2 Reply reality2 weeks agorealitySo grateful for our words of the day: "Society evolves not by shouting each other down, but by the unique capacity of unique, individual human beings to comprehend each other." LEWIS THOMAS. To tweak, in fact, the struggle against not-see, totalitarian, and supremacist forces is what evolves human society, at small and large; otherwise it devolves instead- seldom is a special person who has a special ability to listen even involved. Thanx for that and all you All do. Have a pleasant afterno...So grateful for our words of the day: “Society evolves not by shouting each other down, but by the unique capacity of unique, individual human beings to comprehend each other.” LEWIS THOMAS. To tweak, in fact, the struggle against not-see, totalitarian, and supremacist forces is what evolves human society, at small and large; otherwise it devolves instead- seldom is a special person who has a special ability to listen even involved. Thanx for that and all you All do. Have a pleasant afternoon 🙂 reality Read More3 Reply Mica2 weeks agoMicaThank you, reality, for Lewis Thomas’ words, which were from a day I missed. His words sound so current but, indeed, he died many years ago. 1 Reply grateful sea2 weeks agograteful seaHello reality, I appreciate you. 2 Reply reality2 weeks agorealityEt moi, aussi tu 🙂 reality 3 Reply Ose2 weeks agoOseGood morning, everyone. After a really tough time of inner despair I slowly find back to being more centered. Please let me express my gratitude to you all who so kindly have been present here in this sanctuary. It has been of great support to read your posts here. Thank you so much, all. Have a blessed day, you all out there. 4 Reply
