See our Privacy Policy
Gratefulness
I love novelty and doing new things. This week I jumped on the Wordle train. Anyone else?
I’ve picked up a few new activities in pandemic times: knitting, rug hooking, canning, earth altars, house plant propagation, more vegan/vegetarian cooking (all VERY modestly without much actual talent apparent I hasten to say) And an opportunity to go to Tuscany in 2023 appeared this week! Not today, but this is a prompt to learn a bit of Italian. 😊
Whatever path you’re on or if you can’t find a path, the gentle accessible-to-all practice of grateful living is the not so secret secret to a good and happy life.
Continue as I have – daily Essentrics practice, time outside (today a walk through big snow), eat the quantity and quality that nourishes – with a treat or two to satisfy a sweet tooth. I am SO appreciative of my healthy body.
Tenderness.
Pandemic times have been a tutorial in simple living. Social and entertainment opportunities have been minimal and revealed that I am more attuned to the essentials when I do less. I resonate with Holly’s comment equating simple living to focussing on the basics. On the other hand, I am easily distracted and attracted to stimuli so it’s always going to be a dance!
I need to add that living simply does not mean living small. Living the Great Fullness or living from our largeness is our birthright!
Dear Friends, Sending you whatever blessings you most need for this fresh new year. On the way, please enjoy this 6 minutes of wisdom from 90 year old Naomi Newman. <p>Dear Friends,<br /> Sending you whatever blessings you most need for this fresh new year.<br /> On the way, please enjoy this 6 minutes of wisdom from 90 year old Naomi Newman.<br /> <span class="embed-youtube" style="text-align:center; display: block;"><iframe loading="lazy" class="youtube-player" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VvzWJfFsQFs?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent" allowfullscreen="true" style="border:0;" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation">
As I do every day — with an added dollop of attention to the blessings of 2021 and by letting 2022 know that I intend to love it.
Exhilarated to go skating outside! In Vancouver! Joy of joys!
Solitude has taught me that I need a daily dose to check in with myself, just not too much! I lived alone for too many years and loneliness was never far away. I am awash in gratitude to have found my “roommate” and life partner at last and cherish every hour of every day of our common life.
Something old can be new again,
BLESSING FOR THE LONGEST NIGHT
All throughout these months, as the shadows have lengthened, this blessing has been gathering itself, making ready, preparing for this night.
It has practiced walking in the dark, traveling with its eyes closed, feeling its way by memory, by touch, by the pull of the moon even as it wanes.
So believe me when I tell you this blessing will
So believe me when I tell you this blessing will reach you, even if you have not light enough to read it; it will find you, even though you cannot see it coming.
You will know the moment of its arriving by your release of the breath you have held so long; a loosening of the clenching in your hands, of the clutch around your heart; a thinning of the darkness that had drawn itself around you.
This blessing does not mean to take the night away, but it knows its hidden roads, knows the resting spots along the path, knows what it means to travel in the company of a friend.
So when this blessing comes, take its hand. Get up. Set out on the road you cannot see.
This is the night when you can trust that any direction you go, you will be walking toward the dawn.
—Jan Richardson from The Cure for Sorrow: A Book of Blessings for Times of Grief
Three cheers for tea! We made the switch from teabags to loose tea (black teas only) snd it’s a fun exploring the possibilities, also learning about the social justice, ethical side of tea growing
I resonate with your comment Linda. I have a hard time thinking of myself as other than youthful and active. And honestly, I’m not convinced that exploring that feeling further is helpful anyway!
Your reflection is so well put Holly. I resonate with ” Gratitude pulls us out of what ISN’T.” “Worry is not about what is real, though we fool ourselves that it is. ” The gratefulness path in essence is about being in reality I think. Giving our energy to what is rather than what is not is a heart opening, heart-enlarging practice .(“coeur” means “heart” in French). Practicing gratefulness can/will give me courage.
Journey, Do you resonate with this month’s poem? https://gratefulness.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ebb9f9f588051c1f7a7fc8f09&id=7273f69eab&e=439801ad5f
You’re inspiring me to sort my various little piles of clutter Holly!
Yes indeed Holly! And I love that it connects me to my childhood in the north😊
Our stories have some parallels Linda 🙂 . And I feel the same about the possibility of facing it again.
Happy birthday dear Holly!
This site is brought to you by A Network for Grateful Living, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. All donations are fully tax deductible in the U.S.A.
© 2000 - 2022, A Network for Grateful Living
Website by Briteweb
