Gratitude

Where does gratitude come from? I am little hesitant to admit that it just dawned on me. This is how I discovered it…try this…for the next two hours become a receiver. Just use your senses. Receive the taste and aroma of a delicious fresh tomato and basil sandwich, the warmth of a hug from a dear friend, the fall breeze rustling your hair, the lull of the wind chimes in your neighbor’s yard, the goose bumpy feel you get from looking at a beautiful twilight sky. The opportunities are, quite literally, endless.

After this concentrated intention to receive, you will notice a kindness in your interactions and a patience and love that you bring to what you do. That is the expression of gratitude, imbued in every encounter you have and action you take.

The secret for me was to stop being a doer all the time and to receive. Then gratitude began to flow and I knew that I could bring a fuller and richer expression of my Self to the world.

Let's Think....

A friend told me that she took 15 minutes out of her busy thought-burdened day to sit out in nature. She was amazed to hear the flapping of birds' wings, smell the pine scent and feel the warm sun on her cheeks. Her senses woke up! But she was still aware of her thoughts. Only now it was different; her thoughts had more space around them and were less rushed. There was a calm and clarity to them.

We hear that our thoughts are the product of our egos, that we are way too attached to what we think. Thoughts bog us down and make us the victims of our own stories. But thoughts also guide us and teach us when they are born from a calm and nurtured spirit. So head outside, tune in to Mother Nature. Be in her embrace for just 15 minutes and then see where your thoughts take you.