Day 5 ~ Spring

The sounds of birds singing, especially first thing in the morning.

The greening of the grass.

The budding of the trees.

The emergence of an amazing variety of flowers, trees, bushes.

The return of migrating animal friends.

The extended hours of daylight.

The warming of temperatures (with brief cold spells to give us perspective).

The return of my urge to travel.

The sights and sounds of neighbors emerging from their houses.

The shedding of heavy clothing.

And, ultimately, the overall promise of rebirth ~ that life will go on ~ and, as a part of Nature, I can embrace the cyclical nature of things and trust that I, too, am being renewed.

* * *

Today, I am grateful for SPRING!  :)

Day 4 ~ TCM

One of my guilty pleasures over these past several months has been watching old movies on the Turner Classic Movies station.  And I've watched *a lot* of them.

I've discovered some real gems....like this scene of Gene Kelly tap dancing on roller skates.
AMAZINGLY FANTASTIC!!!




I so love the innocence, the romance (even the sometimes cheesy love scenes), the wonky humor, the nonviolent and clean-cut themes & acting, the goofy plot lines, the make up, the clothes, the sets...

...and...NO commercials!!!

* * *

Yes, it's true, I am grateful for Turner Classic Movies! :-D

Day 3 ~ Second Chances

From the wise & wonderful Brene' Brown

Today I am grateful for second chances ~ and those dear souls who provide them for me.

When I screw up...

When I try to speak my truth and it doesn't come out quite right...

When I get *really* dramatic and emotional...

When I can't seem to find my way...

When I want to give up...

When I just simply fall apart...

When I neglect to take my own advice...

When I think too much with my head and forget to lead from my heart...

When I lack trust in the process to which I am deeply committed...

When I keep repeating the same faulty behavior over and over and over again...

When I think my past has to define my future...

When I let my fears & gremlins get the best of me...

When I give up hope...

* * *

Oh, yes, today I am *most* grateful for second chances.

Day 2 ~ Pizza

(From Kinnikinnick Foods, Inc.)

Or more accurately ~ gluten-free pizza crust!!

Pizza has long been one of my favorite foods.   And for quite some time, perhaps a year or more, I was unable to eat it after adopting a gluten-free lifestyle.

Now, there are several GF pizza crusts on the market ~ and I have even found some restaurants that make it available!

Rest assured, that *every*single*slice*I*eat* is savored with an appreciation for what it represents ~ the return of a much-beloved food.

* * *

Today, I am grateful for gluten-free pizza!  :)

Day 1 ~ Hope

source of both images:  Jen Lemen

I'm not sure why, but I seem to be a hopeful person.  While despair, doubt, confusion, grief, sadness, anger, fear, (and just the general funk that sometimes descends over me) can also be my daily companions ~ they are not able (thank goodness!) to squelch the glimmer of hope that resides within the core of my being.

Each breath, each moment, each hour, each day, each week, each month....I hold onto hope ~ and wave my banner of possibility ~ knowing that, as Jen so amazingly said, "this is not the end of my story".

* * *
Today, I am grateful for hope.

Resurrection

The view from my window on Easter Sunday morning.

I feel as if I should start this post with, "Excuse me, Blogger, for I have sinned...it has been almost three months since my last blog post."

There....now that that's out of the way!  Whew!


I have been longing to blog again.  Truly.  But just haven't found adequate words or energy to contribute to this forum.  My life over these past several months has contained more than I am able to describe to you in words ~ and I just could not bring myself to show up here.

Now, though, I not only want to write, I *need* to write.  As many of you have experienced, the creativity we embrace and share is a valuable part of our healing journey.  And, wow, do I need it.

I keenly sense that emerging from this recent round of my darkness and adding to this blog home will help guide me through the next chapter of my Journey.

While there is much that could be written, I am still a bit guarded and uncertain about how to translate many of my experiences, emotions, lessons, and astonishments.  Therefore, I've decided to focus on gratitude.  It has saved my sanity and spirit on many recent days.  The power of it must never be underestimated.

And so, tomorrow will being my trek along the path of 40 Days of Gratitude.  Each day I will post something ~ a quote, a photo, a story (who knows!) ~ to represent the myriad ways that gratefulness still, and sometimes overwhelmingly, blesses my daily life.

I am glad to be showing up here again.  And I look forward to connecting with you, my kindred-spirit readers, as I explore where this gratitude chapter takes me.  :)

Making Amends*

A Healing Meditation in the Name of Peace

WE OFFER THIS RITUAL FOR OURSELVES AND ON BEHALF OF ALL WHO HAVE BEEN HARMED IN THE PROCESS OF SEEKING TO CREATE A MORE PEACEFUL WORLD

• For those who have used the peace symbol as a vehicle through which to separate instead of bring together

WE ARE SORRY

• For those who have received verbal, physical, emotional, or spiritual injury in the name of promoting peace

WE ARE SORRY

• For the insults and judgments directed at those who work to protect our freedom

WE ARE SORRY

• For those whose vision of advancing a global agenda has failed to take into account the worth, esteem, dignity, and divinity of each individual along the way

WE ARE SORRY

• For the misunderstandings and misrepresentations that have occurred in the process of seeking dialogue on the subject of peace ~ or for failing to seek dialogue altogether

WE ARE SORRY

• For our attempts to define right and wrong, cast blame, or create an atmosphere of shame and reproach

WE ARE SORRY

• For our inability to see from our hearts that we are more similar than we are different ~ and our failure to honor the common Source of life and love which connects us all

WE ARE SORRY

FOR PAST HURTS, PRESENT NEEDS, AND FUTURE TRANSGRESSIONS ~ WE ASK FOR FORGIVENESS, HEALING, AND TRANSFORMATION

MAY WE NOW MOVE FORWARD IN COLLECTIVE SERVICE TO THE GREATER GOOD OF THE HARMONIOUS NEW HUMANITY THAT IS SEEKING TO EMERGE

FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL BEINGS,

WE BOW IN GRATITUDE AND HUMILITY 

AND SAY

NAMASTE'...

AMEN.

* * * * * * * * * 

*Written 7/17/11

Offered here today in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dedicated to P.E.B.