Colleton River Plantation; Bluffton SC
“Gratitude is the surest bridge from
disturbance to acceptance.” John Cato
“Acknowledging the good you already
have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” Eckhart Tolle
In the words of
Forest Gump, “stuff happens.” Life
throws us curve-balls, and they usually seem to come in bunches. When we mature a bit spiritually, we learn to
pause when we are disturbed. But what do
we do with that pause? How do we find
the way to accept that what is …..well, is.
How do we find our way back to being fully engaged in the present moment
when we cannot seem to digest the event that has just happened, let alone
accept it?
Yes, time heals all wounds and yes grieving is a process. But while we are waiting for this mysterious
“cure” to our feelings time continues to march by; the hours, days and
opportunities that would have been ours if we had been in spiritual equilibrium
trickle through our fingers. This is
where we must have a way to span the chasm between being mentally stuck by
identifying with our circumstances rather than being intuitively connected to
the spirit. This is where we must learn
to develop and maintain reliable pathways into an “attitude of gratitude.”
Gratitude is not to be mistaken for thankfulness. Thankfulness always has something attached –
we are thankful for a car, food, a roof over our head, a kindness done or any
other object or event. Gratitude is a
state of being that brings us a deep appreciation for life itself. Gratitude is a feeling of one-ness with our
fellows and our surroundings, a feeling of connectedness and comfort in our own
skin. Gratitude is understanding and
appreciating what grace is – both grace received and grace given. So, how in
the world do we get from a disturbance to here?
In the serenity prayer, we ask for the serenity to accept the things we
cannot change. We must first find this
place of peace if we are to escape the self-centeredness of ego. Making a list of things we are thankful for
and a list of challenges we are thankful we are not facing is helpful. If we have not learned to quit thinking (to
meditate) we can still find some solace in a quiet place with mindful
prayer. We can find someone else who
needs help and immerse ourselves into being of service. We can force ourselves to remember that as
long as we are following the path we will be ok no matter what. And when we again find this place of quiet
joy, acceptance of “what is” seems to come almost naturally. Otherwise, we will find ourselves in the
twilight of our life and realize that we have never really lived at all.
Today, may I know peace. D.Emch
All have a great Thursday
David
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