SOURCE OF ALL BLESSINGS,

you bless us with seashells —
those surprisingly appealing
skeletons of once alive creatures,
those never-ending variations on
the theme of imperishable beauty
in perishable form. May I, who put
sea urchins on the palm of my hand
and hold conch shells to my ear, as
I did when I was a child, hear the
roar of a distant ocean and feel the
lightness and fragility of life.


Sense how it feels to honor the beauty, wonder, and lessons of seashells. When we allow ourselves to be with, and contemplate, the fragility and tenacity of life it can quickly refine our experience of this moment and its precious, myriad possibilities.

“May this patchwork quilt of blessings help to sharpen your taste for the gift of life in its innumerable facets,” Br. David writes. “May you grow ever more blessed, ever more able to bless.”

Should you be inspired, please leave a reflection below…

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Enjoy the full eight-day Summer Blessings I practice series.


Practices
Br. David Steindl-Rast, OSB

Br. David Steindl-Rast, OSB

About the author

Brother David Steindl-Rast — author, scholar, and Benedictine monk — is beloved the world over for his enduring message about gratefulness as the true source of lasting happiness. Known to many as the “grandfather of gratitude,” Br. David has been a source of inspiration and spiritual friendship to countless leaders and luminaries around the world including Desmond Tutu, the Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh, Thomas Merton, and more. He has been one of the most important figures in the modern interfaith dialogue movement, and has taught with thought-leaders such as Eckhart Tolle, Jack Kornfield, and Roshi Joan Halifax. His wisdom has been featured in recent interviews with Oprah Winfrey, Krista Tippett, and Tami Simon and his TED talk has been viewed almost 10,000,000 times. Learn more about Br. David here.