Like Robin Ann, when I hang out here I feel gratefulness in my bones. When I practice “Stop, Look and Go”, I orient to gratitude. I also feel gratefulness overflow when I express it outwardly by thanking others.
Kindness does, and stillness; When realizing in time that there was some misunderstanding like in translating this question. Wishing all a good night´s sleep.
Carissa, great answer. It’s that time of year. The warm months fly. Sooner than later, it’s winter. Everyone’s attached to their phones these days with myself included.
Seeing my husband and dog napping. in almost the same position, curled up with the dog at his feet. (On the floor – this is the only dog I’ve had that has no interest in going on the bed).
BTW I love Anne Lamott’s writings.
Thank you, dear Kevin. Bright light may fill your heart and soul with most beautiful life music whenever it is with you and shine inside you with joy. Thank you dearly for the reminder and inspiration.
Hello my friend, and thank you for sharing here. First, let me say that I am always on the lookout for good music, if it’s live, the better! It just does something to my soul that allows me to see things differently, which of course I would be grateful for anytime it happens.
Secondly, do you remember our friend Christine, from Norway, a pianist and organist who played for her Church and her friends and for folks under care in nursing homes, etc.? if so, I think of Christine frequently because she found spiritual nature through music and shared that with us with her words. She was diagnosed with a severe and fatal type of spinal cancer that she told us would end her life in likely a matter of few months. She said goodbye to all of us and was gone from this platform and I assume from our Planet also, though her spirit lingers among us I am sure. It’s hard for me to mention music of any kind without mentioning our dear Christine in whatever orbit she may be in at this time.
A visit, a text, a call from my son. He’s my mentor and my teacher. He truly knows how to be present to and alive in the moment and be thankful for every moment he’s given. His life has not been easy but due to his commitment to being grateful for life itself, it has awakened a grateful perspective on life in me. I love Neil Douglas-Klotz’s translation of the Lord’s Prayer from Aramaic to English because it does not promote the duality of success or failure, of win or lose, of right or wrong but calls us to ripen, to bear fruit. My son is ripe!
Translation of the Lord’s Prayer from Aramaic by Neil Douglas-Klotz
Abwoon d’bwashmaya
O Birther! Father-Mother of the Cosmos/ you create all that moves in light.
Nethqadash shmakh
Focus your light within us–make it useful: as the rays of a beacon show the way.
Teytey malkuthakh
Create your reign of unity now–through our firey hearts and willing hands.
Nehwey sebyanach aykanna d’bwashmaya aph b’arha.
Your one desire then acts with ours, as in all light, so in all forms.
Habwlan lachma d’sunqanan yaomana.
Grant what we need each day in bread and insight:
subsistence for the call of growing life.
Washboqlan khaubayn (wakhtahayn)
aykana daph khnan shbwoqan l’khayyabayn.
Loose the cords of mistakes binding us,
as we release the strands we hold of others’ guilt.
Wela tahlan l’nesyuna
Don’t let us enter forgetfulness
Ela patzan min bisha.
But free us from unripeness
Metol dilakhie malkutha wahayla wateshbukhta l’ahlam almin.
From you is born all ruling will, the power and the life to do,
the song that beautifies all, from age to age it renews.
Ameyn.
Truly–power to these statements–
may they be the source from which all my actions grow.
Thank you, Carol, truly.
Last week while officiating at a memorial service I was introduced to Bobby McFerrin‘s rendition of Psalm 23, which he wrote upon the passing of his own mother a few years ago. You can find it on YouTube. It is stunning, simple, beautiful, and free of the patriarchy so prevalent in the Old Testament.
Keeping a grateful perspective is
something that I must continually
nurture and practice. But, having
said that, sitting here on a beautiful
sunny morning, with time on my hands,
my wife sitting nearby, the cats roaming
around, the roses blooming just
outside my open front door, a cup of
super delicious coffee just finished,
and a little spontaneous road/camping
trip to a redwood forest in todays
plans, it’s would be nearly impossible
to not no grateful.
My meditation and prayer practice. Also, finding ways of being of service to others, as the Word of the Day says:
“Gratitude begins in our hearts and then dovetails into behavior. It almost always makes you willing to be of service, which is where the joy resides.”— ANNE LAMOTT
Spring is in her glory here in West Michigan, the beach, the trees and all the greenery, all kinds of birds and other visitors to the backyard. So much beauty.
Both a short hike in the desert here (Phoenix) and a return home.
I realize again the beauty present in a desert environment, whether saguaro, or lantana, and when they are in bloom, it is like seeing an infants first smile!
When I return home, I appreciate my toaster or my coffee pot or both even more, and eventually, the thermostat!
Maeve, spring is fun and a relief for sure. As far as winter goes, I’m fortunate to have come out of a short one this year coming from Minnesota. 2022-23 was a brudal one with snowstorm after snowstorm.
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This site.
Greenery all around.
The mountains that surround my region, embracing it like a mother with the newborn child.
Like Robin Ann, when I hang out here I feel gratefulness in my bones. When I practice “Stop, Look and Go”, I orient to gratitude. I also feel gratefulness overflow when I express it outwardly by thanking others.
Visiting this site and reflecting but also having plans to look forward to or friends and family to gather with. Being in nature normally does also.
Kindness does, and stillness; When realizing in time that there was some misunderstanding like in translating this question. Wishing all a good night´s sleep.
Being out in nature without phones or anything.
Carissa, great answer. It’s that time of year. The warm months fly. Sooner than later, it’s winter. Everyone’s attached to their phones these days with myself included.
Seeing my husband and dog napping. in almost the same position, curled up with the dog at his feet. (On the floor – this is the only dog I’ve had that has no interest in going on the bed).
BTW I love Anne Lamott’s writings.
Music, especially live music, sweeps me up to a place that’s clear, lighter, where all is possible to feel and cherish in a brand new way.
Thank you, dear Kevin. Bright light may fill your heart and soul with most beautiful life music whenever it is with you and shine inside you with joy. Thank you dearly for the reminder and inspiration.
Hello my friend, and thank you for sharing here. First, let me say that I am always on the lookout for good music, if it’s live, the better! It just does something to my soul that allows me to see things differently, which of course I would be grateful for anytime it happens.
Secondly, do you remember our friend Christine, from Norway, a pianist and organist who played for her Church and her friends and for folks under care in nursing homes, etc.? if so, I think of Christine frequently because she found spiritual nature through music and shared that with us with her words. She was diagnosed with a severe and fatal type of spinal cancer that she told us would end her life in likely a matter of few months. She said goodbye to all of us and was gone from this platform and I assume from our Planet also, though her spirit lingers among us I am sure. It’s hard for me to mention music of any kind without mentioning our dear Christine in whatever orbit she may be in at this time.
Yes, I have thought of her also.
I think of Christine often. Thank you, Kevin for putting it down in words. She was a very special person…and is very much missed.
I think of Christine too and wondered about her. I had always hoped we would have heard from her friend to let us know when she passed:(
I, too, think of Christine often.
it warms my heart that we all remember Christine would love and all of who she was. Period.
A visit, a text, a call from my son. He’s my mentor and my teacher. He truly knows how to be present to and alive in the moment and be thankful for every moment he’s given. His life has not been easy but due to his commitment to being grateful for life itself, it has awakened a grateful perspective on life in me. I love Neil Douglas-Klotz’s translation of the Lord’s Prayer from Aramaic to English because it does not promote the duality of success or failure, of win or lose, of right or wrong but calls us to ripen, to bear fruit. My son is ripe!
Translation of the Lord’s Prayer from Aramaic by Neil Douglas-Klotz
Abwoon d’bwashmaya
O Birther! Father-Mother of the Cosmos/ you create all that moves in light.
Nethqadash shmakh
Focus your light within us–make it useful: as the rays of a beacon show the way.
Teytey malkuthakh
Create your reign of unity now–through our firey hearts and willing hands.
Nehwey sebyanach aykanna d’bwashmaya aph b’arha.
Your one desire then acts with ours, as in all light, so in all forms.
Habwlan lachma d’sunqanan yaomana.
Grant what we need each day in bread and insight:
subsistence for the call of growing life.
Washboqlan khaubayn (wakhtahayn)
aykana daph khnan shbwoqan l’khayyabayn.
Loose the cords of mistakes binding us,
as we release the strands we hold of others’ guilt.
Wela tahlan l’nesyuna
Don’t let us enter forgetfulness
Ela patzan min bisha.
But free us from unripeness
Metol dilakhie malkutha wahayla wateshbukhta l’ahlam almin.
From you is born all ruling will, the power and the life to do,
the song that beautifies all, from age to age it renews.
Ameyn.
Truly–power to these statements–
may they be the source from which all my actions grow.
I
This is beautiful. Thank you for sharing it.
Thank you, Carol, truly.
Last week while officiating at a memorial service I was introduced to Bobby McFerrin‘s rendition of Psalm 23, which he wrote upon the passing of his own mother a few years ago. You can find it on YouTube. It is stunning, simple, beautiful, and free of the patriarchy so prevalent in the Old Testament.
Thank you, Kevin.
Kevin, Thanks for alerting me to McFerrin’s rendition of Psalm 23. Enjoyed listening to it very much.
Keeping a grateful perspective is
something that I must continually
nurture and practice. But, having
said that, sitting here on a beautiful
sunny morning, with time on my hands,
my wife sitting nearby, the cats roaming
around, the roses blooming just
outside my open front door, a cup of
super delicious coffee just finished,
and a little spontaneous road/camping
trip to a redwood forest in todays
plans, it’s would be nearly impossible
to not no grateful.
My meditation and prayer practice. Also, finding ways of being of service to others, as the Word of the Day says:
“Gratitude begins in our hearts and then dovetails into behavior. It almost always makes you willing to be of service, which is where the joy resides.”— ANNE LAMOTT
Early morning stillness.
Spring is in her glory here in West Michigan, the beach, the trees and all the greenery, all kinds of birds and other visitors to the backyard. So much beauty.
Both a short hike in the desert here (Phoenix) and a return home.
I realize again the beauty present in a desert environment, whether saguaro, or lantana, and when they are in bloom, it is like seeing an infants first smile!
When I return home, I appreciate my toaster or my coffee pot or both even more, and eventually, the thermostat!
John, that sounds fun and some good exercise. Adventures have a way of making us appreciate our routine more. There’s no place like home.
Paying attention.
Taking time to reflect on what I learned from something that was challenging or didn’t go well.
Being aware yet again of how fortunate I am in so many ways, which reminds me of my privilege, which brings determination to work for justice.
The green of plants and trees, especially now in spring with their yellow-green new foliage. Always am thankful for this after our long winter.
Maeve, spring is fun and a relief for sure. As far as winter goes, I’m fortunate to have come out of a short one this year coming from Minnesota. 2022-23 was a brudal one with snowstorm after snowstorm.