Sometimes it’s hard to figure out what to be grateful for, or perhaps what I mean is that it’s hard to settle on one thing and then determine what to say about it. Finding things that I’m grateful for has rarely been the challenging part; it’s trying to express that gratitude in a way that another person can understand and find meaningful. It’s been my dilemma for the past 800-plus days–well perhaps only for half of those days. One thing that I remain consistently grateful for each day is the faithfulness and appreciation of those of you readers who have embarked on this journey with and walked alongside me.
A writer needs her readers in part to serve as a mirror, reflecting back her ideas, or as a sounding board taking in the words and asking questions that help her clarify and refine her thinking. You have borne witness to my evolution through so many changes as I’ve walked this path. Most of the feedback I receive on this blog has been in the form of “likes” on Facebook as well as the occasional comment here on the blog site. Periodically I’ve had conversations with some of you, focusing on a particular theme or you’ve made some observation that lets me know that you are taking it in, reflecting on it, and responding. That is wonderful and in fact one of the most important purposes for writing this blog every night: stimulating each reader to think about the practice of gratitude, focus on the blessings in their life and the things they are grateful for, to pique curiosity and interest in the various themes, issues, and ideas I raise. If that happens–whether for 20 or 200 0r 2000 people, I am grateful.
Tonight I am grateful for the magic that happens when people sit down and have meaningful conversations. This morning I talked with a good friend as I commuted the 26.4 miles from my house to the parking lot at work. We talked briefly about a number of thorny issues he is trying to work through in his work situation. But more important than the issues was the energy bubbling underneath them; what we quickly got to was the heart of the matter. And that is where I like to live–where the heart and the spirit and the mind are all interacting. The issues that we face are often secondary: the real “juice” in the situation is at the spiritual level. I love talking with this particular friend because he is so receptive to talking about the spirit, the heart of the matter. He recognizes that what happens at the surface simply provides us with the starting point to focus our attention so that we know where to excavate for the treasures underneath. It is these conversations that help bring me to a closer understanding of what I am meant to be doing: helping people answer their own questions about what they’re meant to be doing. And I love it.
It is so very gratifying to see things finally come together that have felt like they were in the planning stages for a very long time. I was at a gathering of people today in which seeds that were planted months ago started springing up and growing wildly almost overnight. Those who are gardeners know that feeling of anticipation when you plant something and it finally pops up and it gets even more exciting when the first blossoms or tiny fruits begin to appear. I witnessed that happening today and I could barely contain myself. Some of those blossoms sprung from seeds I sowed or had a hand in tending and others I have simply gotten to witness. In the end it doesn’t really matter who planted, who fertilized and watered, or who cultivated; what matters is that the effort is bearing fruit.
This blog has been a seed planted not 803 days ago, but much earlier in my life. I am grateful that it sprung forth and has borne fruit over these two-plus years. My hope is that it is bearing fruits I cannot even see–the inspiration that it has planted in the hearts and minds of people who read it, faithfully or randomly. In the end that really doesn’t matter either. If one reading for a few moments on one day motivates you to allow gratitude to fill you up and spill out of you, then it has accomplished it’s purpose and I have accomplished one of mine. And it is all good.
