I realize it's not Thanksgiving just yet...however, I feel thankful. Every Fall, I get this overwhelming feeling of gratitude. I'm not certain exactly what that's about. One of my theories is that my birthday is the first day of Fall. It seems that everywhere I look, I feel amazed. Like I'm a child and seeing it, experiencing it for the first time. I get so playful, so giddy and unexplainably full of joy.
For the most part, I think this is how I'd like to live my life, but this time of the year it is so intense. My mind is like a sponge and I want to learn, learn, learn. Could it be that Fall just happens to be the beginning of the school year? There is definitely excitement in that.
At this point, when I look at my life, I see such abundance. Abundance of friends, abundance of love, abundance of energy, abundance of luxuries.
When I'm at home, I think of how cool it is that I have such a beautiful apartment, such a nice neighborhood. When I cook, I think how cool it is that I have food to eat. I'm also thankful to have food to put in the kittie's bowl. In my room, I'm thankful for my comfortable bed, the warmth from the heat that I've recently had to turn on. I feel happy to play the music that I enjoy. I've got a guitar to play. I've got books to read. I've got the knowledge of yoga and can experience something so profound at any moment. I can pick from a number of movies or I can walk to the library and check one out. I have a phone in which I can call a friend and connect. I have a laptop, which I'm using right now...another way to connect to the world. If I want, I can go out on a bike ride and bring my camera to document the beauty that I see around me. Amazing! I can take my car to any side of town that I need to go to. When I walk down the street, I can see people from my neighborhood and we can share our daily experiences, whether good or bad, to connect. I feel grateful that I have the opportunity to work with children every time that I go to work. The other day, at the end of the day teaching a 1st grade class, a little girl who needed a little extra attention during the day, handed me a picture she drew for me. It had a character in the middle. Mme Dekutowski on one side and on the other side it read, I love you. Sometimes I can't even believe this kind of beauty. Seriously, it just blows my mind.
I am so blessed to tuck my nephews in at night and giggle with them and they tell me stories or ask me to tell them a story about when their mama and me were kids. They share their ice cream with me...or when they want me to read them a story in a southern drawl...it is something that brings about the feelings of gratitude beyond words.
How cool is it to go out around town and experience the local talent and see how dedicated people are to live their dreams and bring about positivity to their community? That's what I'm talking about.
I was talking to a friend the other day about perceptions. I've come to realize that if you believe in beauty...if you have faith that it exists...you see it everywhere. I have been working on purposely choosing how I see the world and have opened my mind to it...to the reality that we choose our reality and in fact bring about our reality.
I know that if anyone reads this, they may think I'm a little crazy...but really I had to put this down in writing.
I don't want to not acknowledge that there are plenty of horrendous things happening in this world that we live in. But I also believe that understanding the power of our mindset is the manner in which we can change horror into beauty. Does anyone agree with me?
I would love some feedback on others' perceptions.
I would indeed be thankful for that.
1 comment:
I think those of us who have lived broke for a long time are especially thankful for the little things -- which are, indeed, the big things. I look at my wife and children and find myself moved to tears. I don't deserve all this. So I am thankful.
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