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Gratefulness
Enjoy this practice as a stand-alone experience or as the last of an eight-day series of blessings inspired by Br. David's book "99 Blessings: An Invitation to Life." We invite you to close your eyes and take one or two slow, deep breaths. Then open your eyes and simply take in this blessing...
SOURCE OF ALL BLESSINGS,
you bless us with unfinished business — an unanswered letter, that word I wanted to look up in the dictionary all day, a phone call that will have to wait till tomorrow, and the bigger items on my list, like the long-postponed vacation, the book that wants to be opened, the overdue apology. May they make me sift out the important from the urgent, tackle it, and praise the perfection of the unfinished.
Sense how it feels to honor all that remains unfinished. When we allow ourselves to welcome the tension between limitless opportunities and finite time, we hone discernment and an ability to let go with a light heart.
And, like so many things in life, the business of blessing is never done. In each of the blessings shared in the Summer Blessings: Practice Series I, Br. David has followed a pattern — “first expressing delight in a blessing received, following with a resolution to pass it on.” We invite you to continue this pattern in your own life. Allow yourself to notice and delight in the blessings that surround you. Then, filled and inspired by the celebration, pass it on so that the blessings flow through and from you with heart and great-fullness.
We thank you for blessing us with your time and presence. We are grateful.
How have these days of blessings — received and shared — impacted or inspired you? We’d love to hear from you in the reflection area below…
Enjoy the full eight-day Summer Blessings I practice series.
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My “business” of living and being and doing and praising and thanking is never finished, and I am grateful that these and so many other things remain unfinished – May I be given the grace to complete what can be completed, to tackle the urgent now, and to know what can be left for another time, May I also be given the grace to always be thankful and to share my gratitude with others. Deep bow of gratitude to you all for all you do, all you give us.
I live on a 27 acre homestead and live with unfinished business daily-being with the animals helps me see what to do next and be grateful I have such wonderful choices to pick from- when we give away control and open to where we are led we can be with all that is present-thank you for all that you do
I just now opened this particular practice. The unfinished business piece was heavy on my heart at first. However, as I read it more deeply and let it sink in I realized the discernment that brother David was speaking about. It’s something I need to allow it to happen. I love his reflection on letting go and being grateful for the blessings that are already present. Thank you.
Write an entry in your private gratefulness journal
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