I am not a big fan of daylight savings time. I’m sure that once upon a time someone thought it was a good idea, and perhaps it is. But I find myself tired and cranky these first few days into the new time. (I can hear some who know me well suggesting that I was tired and cranky before the time changed…) Nevertheless I am mustering my energy to offer some simple gratitude this evening.
Tonight I am grateful for the various gifts of creativity that I have been blessed with. I am a singer-songwriter, and a story teller. Though one of my brothers is the family storyteller, his humorous and dramatic recounting of various family experiences rivals all the great bards and court jesters from back in the day. No, I am more of a story writer than teller, and I sometimes use my songwriting as a means of storytelling as well.
How can I forget how wonderful it is to sing? Why is it that I don’t sing every day? I seem to have moments of total amnesia when I forget, lose track of one thing that consistently takes me to a well of strength: my music. Not simply listening to it, though there’s power in that for me as well, but playing, singing. Last night I played and sang until my throat was scratchy and sore. I am contemplating singing again tonight, though perhaps not as vigorously. I am grateful for the place that music has in my life. Songwriting has allowed me to access and give voice to a variety of emotional states, those feelings pouring from my heart through vibrating guitar strings and vocal cords. Those emotions, that power, involve a spiritual exchange of energy between singer and listener–I connect to people as I sing and we are all affected, drawn in to the magic. Music frees and heals me. It is a gift that keeps on giving, blessing all who listen and/or feel the vibrations of the music.
I am also grateful for the gift of wisdom. It sounds almost presumptuous even in my own hearing to claim to have wisdom, and yet I find that it is somehow equally arrogant to act as if I don’t have it. As best I can I say it without ego: there are times when I can feel a gift of wisdom when I am in conversation with people. I have possessed the gift of wisdom for as long as I can remember: people listened to me when I offered thoughts, ideas, suggestions, insights, on a variety of issues. Now, I want to be clear that having wisdom doesn’t necessarily make a person a genius–I am as capable of making all kinds of missteps and dumb mistakes as the next person; one need only look at some of my life decisions in recent years. And yet, God graces me with insights to offer to other fellow pilgrims on this journey through life. I likewise frequently seek wisdom from others. I can remember my life coach saying to me many years ago, “I can tell you are an excellent coach in part because you are an excellent client–you listen and take in advice very well and so have much to share with others.” I am grateful for this gift and am gratified each time I offer a person some insight that helps them resolve an issue they are working on. Wisdom is another way to serve people and I am happy to do so.
I am about to go conk out in a few minutes after doing a quick meditation. I am looking forward to my body adjusting to the time change as quickly as possible so I can get back into some kind of rhythm. In the meantime I will do my best to exercise patience with myself and my off-kilter-ness. May it be so!
