Often during the course of the day I come across things I am grateful for. “Oh,” I think to myself, “I’ll write about that in my blog when I get home tonight.” Then of course by the time I make the 90-minute commute and go about the business of the evening I have long forgotten the things over the course of the day that I was going to write about. By the time I sit down at the computer at night, my mind is often weary from the day’s work and activities and I sometimes have a hard time focusing on what I want to say. But I guess what I want to start with this evening is that I am grateful that I am conscious and aware enough over the course of the day of the many things that bless my life on a constant, ongoing basis. I might not remember it at the end of the day, but I try to take time to acknowledge these things in real time.
This evening as I was leaving the building where I work, I looked up into the darkening sky where a bright celestial body hanging in the Eastern sky. I believe it to be Jupiter, shining brightly in the heavens. “Star light, star bright, first star I’ve seen tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might have the wish I wish tonight.” I recited looking at the “star” as I walked toward my car. I did make a wish, then chided myself for it being too simplistic and a bit selfish, asking for financial security. I shifted to asking God to bless and keep my family safe and well. That seemed a little less selfish. I continued praying as I walked to my car, not so much in the way of making requests as in talking to God. I do that a lot, talk to God. Sometimes I know what I am saying, sometimes I do not. What I do know is that my heart reaches out toward the divine without effort; it is totally natural for me to pray.
I am not a religious person from a doctrinal/dogmatic perspective; but I am a deep believer in a power, a force greater than me that both dwells within and exists outside of me. I believe a lot of things about this being, who for purposes of simplicity I will refer to a “God.” I know that when I consider the beauty and the goodness around me–in nature, in people, in circumstances and situations, I express my gratitude for those things. It is not something I sit and plan, it comes forth naturally, and may it always be so. So as I walk through the course of any given day, I frequently encounter things for which I express my gratitude and thankfulness. Almost nothing is so mundane that it escapes notice or for which I cannot express appreciation. Such is the way of things: the more I look around me and see the blessings in my life for which I am grateful, the more things I see that I am grateful for. Gratitude begets more to be grateful for. I am seeing this in my daily life. May it always be so.
Today has been a good day. I am tired, but for the most part it is a good kind of tired. I am grateful for the people with whom I am working and for the work I’m doing. It is good, important, if difficult work. Somedays I long for the simplicity of being a farmer, living out in the country living off of living on the land. I look forward to not having to listen to the traffic reports on the radio and sitting in traffic. But that is where I am at the moment and I am grateful to be working and contributing my gifts and energy in service to humanity. From where I stand, this is a very good thing.
I look forward to a new day tomorrow, filled with possibilities and promise. Tonight, I will take my rest offering gratitude and prayers for this day just past. All is well and all shall be well. May it be so.
