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Gratefulness
Retired from old mindsets, reactions, and labels in order to tumble about joyfully in a loving, laughter-filled, existence.
In 2004, I bled to death. I was alone in a foreign country without resources. The supposedly terrible event was one of the best experiences of my life. I was very angry when I was sent back. I tried to leave my body again and couldn’t.
My two main takeaways, among the many, were: 1. Dying is easy, living is the hard part. But live fully until you die. 2. Because I was created by Divine Love to be loved, love, and then BE love, so was everyone else.
My finitude open...
My finitude opens to vast spaces, so does yours.
I wrote and wrote and wrote, and it was good. I am about to have a meal and watch Netflix, simple joys.
To be kind bravely in a spirit of simplicity.
Yes, both positive and negative…
Positive: the most amazing transformative way to see and experience life. A real health bringer, both mentally and physically. A wonderful community creator for contagious joy, too.
Negative: formerly based on “Praise God” for everything, ended up being “paste a hallelujah bandaid” over really tough stuff that needed recognizing and even exposing. It was dangerous and came back to haunt me big time. Detrimental for well being on so...
Negative: formerly based on “Praise God” for everything, ended up being “paste a hallelujah bandaid” over really tough stuff that needed recognizing and even exposing. It was dangerous and came back to haunt me big time. Detrimental for well being on so many levels.
Answer by a better balance practice: I now recognize the tough stuff, let it speak to me, learn from it, grow through it, put it in place, ask God what he/she really thinks of the situation, then transform it through assigning it proper meaning. This brings eventual genuine gratitude and a bridge of compassion for self and others! Much healthier.
The hypocritical treatment of asylum seekers in Australia. The kindness of those who care about the marginalized and have stood up to that lack of humanity. The emotional reactions both these opposites elicited within me, and the growing conviction to live a greater life of kindness.
When I see the innocent suffer. Beit humans or animals. When I am hurt due to another’s unkindness. When life feels cruel or unfair and I have no or little control. In these places I choose to respond rather than react. I look for the next best thing to do/think/be. I try to frame the experience with greater compassion and understanding for others. I try to build in resilience. I remind myself of my history and that it is possible for things to workout or change and be better.
Sometimes my only answer to the world’s darkness is to live all the harder at it. I LIVE my LIFE at IT.
I am struggling with feeling a joy in my caregiving of my mother and being actually physically stuck in Australia. The best way I can approach either of these situations, outside of accepting not all of life is a joy, is to create a game/project/set of behaviours and thoughts around them to transform my attitude. 1. Before I step into my mother’s realm, stop, pray, plan fun ways to be love to her. 40 seconds of mindful compassion before anything (a tried and proven method to avoid...
I am struggling with feeling a joy in my caregiving of my mother and being actually physically stuck in Australia. The best way I can approach either of these situations, outside of accepting not all of life is a joy, is to create a game/project/set of behaviours and thoughts around them to transform my attitude. 1. Before I step into my mother’s realm, stop, pray, plan fun ways to be love to her. 40 seconds of mindful compassion before anything (a tried and proven method to avoid burnout for doctors) for example. 2. See myself as not stuck, but having a wonderful opportunity to do, see, be in ways that I normally do not enjoy. Imagine when I leave Australia what would I miss and hopefully have had a lot of when here.
Life is not all black and white, there are lots of grey areas… God, spirituality, certainties that I once counted on shifted through interminable hard knocks and in a place of uncertainty, of unknowing, of shakiness I found that it’s okay to be unsure. That I can hold faith and doubt, joy and pain, love and dislike together, and realize they can coincide as partner parts of life.
It’s all good…. 🙂
Thanks Cheryle, and to you too this beautiful Season. Ha, yes, I was mad about being made to return. But well, I do grasp at life too many years later, I also realize how I could savor it more. I do not waste it per se, but I do not savor it enough always. One thing that helps me is I post photos a lot, or short writings, on Facebook and I view them daily on my memories app. That is up to 12 years’ worth of memories each day. It is a wonderful thing to see what I have experienced ...
Thanks Cheryle, and to you too this beautiful Season. Ha, yes, I was mad about being made to return. But well, I do grasp at life too many years later, I also realize how I could savor it more. I do not waste it per se, but I do not savor it enough always. One thing that helps me is I post photos a lot, or short writings, on Facebook and I view them daily on my memories app. That is up to 12 years’ worth of memories each day. It is a wonderful thing to see what I have experienced and appreciate them all over again, sometimes more in the passing or loss of them. Especially when seeing memories of times shared with those who have died, or places I have left. This makes my life richer. Reminiscing richness an excellent tool. With Love “n” Laughter, Dusty
Thank you for getting it. So, being comfortable yet well challenged in a mix of body and spirit is a glorious thing!
And a heart from mine to yours in reply.
Recently the Queen’s Gambit (loved it) The Queen season 4 (liked it a lot) The entire 17 seasons of BIg Bang Theory. Finally got to watch it. Yes, that’s a lot, ha! I am on the spectrum and it is one of my compulsive joys, and puts me to sleep without being too stimulating. I’ve also been watching some Australian movies/series to give them a chance. Reasonably good, a bit slow, but must say getting better quality. I love that there are more powerful women a...
Recently the Queen’s Gambit (loved it) The Queen season 4 (liked it a lot) The entire 17 seasons of BIg Bang Theory. Finally got to watch it. Yes, that’s a lot, ha! I am on the spectrum and it is one of my compulsive joys, and puts me to sleep without being too stimulating. I’ve also been watching some Australian movies/series to give them a chance. Reasonably good, a bit slow, but must say getting better quality. I love that there are more powerful women and indigenous people featured as leads or strong characters. When overseas I see nothing Australian, nor do I seek it out much, but I have been thankful to do some catchup. I have some great independent movies, documentaries, classics and indigenous from all around the world, at 10 free a month online under my local library. So, watching those too. With all that said, I have returned to reading at night too before sleep. During COVID Displacement, I had no mood for it, which is so odd for me. I am glad to be back. How about you Pam?
Exactly, I have some as friends on Facebook. As you have said, they are educated, married, have families, etc. They used to call when I lived in Thailand sometimes. It is always so lovely to see them do so well. Best ever…
Yes, I have worked with this demographic before too. Both women and children. Very heartbreaking. But I took some comfort in being able to be a support and when seeing them thrive, sometimes at least, in some programs.
Thank you, that is lovely xxx I agree with what you wrote that breaks your heart too.
Thank you. It’s slowly working out as I adapt and accept and look for the good. There is good. It will all be even better too 👍💕😁
Hi, I am in Melbourne, and thanks for your kind words. Actually, I am with my mom, it’s not always easy, she has Alzheimers. Rather, I wish to be in Thailand, which was my home of 30 years. Or anywhere else, ha! But I do realize that this is an excellent opportunity to help my family, especially during the lockdown.
Thank you, that is so kind. I think I’ll have the sunshine today for sure, no less because of your kindness. Cheers and a big smile xx
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