I find being grateful gives me a greater degree of self-awareness. I hold myself more responsible for others, for my environment, Mother Earth and all her creatures. Yesterday, I was experiencing some physical pain and I started to get overwhelmed and something deep within said “Carol, there are so many others in pain you cannot even imagine. Lift them up and send them loving energy.” When my focus left me, the pain lessened. I believe an attitude of gratitude creates an environment that helps us grow. It connects us in a way that is life-giving. I love today’s quote, “Remember you are this universe and this universe is you.” There is no “me.'”There is only “we.”
On the first Sunday of Advent, Mass reflected on this today. So many things to be grateful for and reflect on.
Today my son is having a “Friendsgiving”. I am excited to meet his friend that may turn into a serious relationship. Fingers crossed! As well as seeing many of his friends that I haven’t seen in a while. He has a lot of friends many from childhood. Funny my daughter once told me when she was younger she liked to hang out with her brother because he made friends so easily. Happy Sunday! we may get a snow storm Tuesday! ❄️
Being grateful reminds me of how interconnected I am to the Universe. The connection is infinite.
When I stop & give thanks for the milk in my coffee it starts with the cow & continues with the farmer, the truckers, the clerks in the store etc. I know I have missed many others in this process. Thinking about something like milk in my coffee, I realize how I am connected to so many others.
Food for thought I guess.
No person is an island. ♥️
P.S. please pray for me tomorrow as I am flying
across the country. I appreciate your prayers. Thank you kindly. 🙏🏻
🕊️♥️
It is the one direct connection from my head to my heart through my body to the earth I stand on and the air I move through and the breath I take in and the sky I stand under and all that is within this realm and beyond.
When I practice gratitude, I am reminded of my connection to everything. Following everything to its source, reminds me of my connection to all of this humming energy that exists in all living things.
All just different forms of the same basic building blocks. Amazing.
Grateful to be here pondering this.
Happy Sunday everyone.
Gratefulness slows me down and compels me to acknowledge things I would have otherwise overlooked. In that sense, gratefulness helps me to see. And when I can see my connections to life, I can acknowledge them. Maybe rushing and ignoring are actually forms of blindness, and gratefulness a form of sight.
Because I work for a Tissue Bank I am constantly reminded of my connection to all of life – we are a Gift of Life and for all the organ and tissue donors (and blood/platelets/plasma too) I want to say thank you! Your recipients no doubt are grateful and thankful too.
Practicing gratefulness here is a connection with a wonderful group of people who share their reflections, sometimes vulnerability, and I am grateful for all of you.
Loving kindness to all on this Sunday 🙂
As my agendas are set aside with my heart purifying, I was able to come up with a collaborative Vietnamese poem yesterday with my relatives about yesterday’s snowstorm. Here we go.
Mùa Đông
Mùa đông thấy tuyết tuyệt vời.
Hôm nay thời tiết tuyết rơi cả ngày.
Nhìn màu trắng đẹp trên cây.
Chắc là phải đắp mền dầy ban đêm.
Tôi cần ôn vợ ngủ êm.
Tuần sau nhiệt độ lạnh thêm ngoài tri.
Now, here’s the English interpretation inspired by Antoinette’s idea from last summer which fits perfect like a glove for this question.
Winter.
Looking at snow falling in winter is wonderful.
Today, the forecast calls for snow all day.
Seeing the white is beautiful on trees.
For sure need a thick blanket to sleep at night.
I need to hold my wife to sleep at ease.
Next week temps will be colder outside.
That’s the poem enterpretation on my end. Point driven. I felt a deeper connection to nature, people, and eventually, life, altogether through practicing gratefulness.
Thank you for sharing, Loc Tran! Writing poetry can be a wonderful way to touch gratefulness, and it sounds extra special to write a collaborative poem . I feel like I am there in Minnesota with you and your family ♥️
There is no Winter
Where I live ‘The Sunshine State’
There is no snow here
{haiku is a form of short, unrhymed poetry that originated in Japan, known for its ability to capture a single moment in a few words. In English, it traditionally consists of three lines with a 5, 7, 5 syllable pattern}.
The practice vibrates inside of me and radiates outward, connecting with all of the energy around me, all of the energy of the universe. I can’t help but be reminded of my connection to all of life when I feel that. Its strong, encompassing, and warm. Like a hug from the universe ✨
Sunnypatti– I love all of the images in your post! “practice vibrates inside me” “radiates outwards” “connecting with…. Energy.” “Hug from the universe. Thank you ♥️
Sunnypatti, I feel that warmth too with a more purified heart. It makes it easier to connect to others no matter the difficulty. Most importantly, I know myself, what I stand for, and have a firm foundation. My “Be adaptable, not changeable” Locster brand slogan guides me too.
It’s been said “no one is an island,” (written inclusively), I too saw the new moon referenced by Jospeh. I’m very aware of our global connectedness. I’ve missed posting the last few days, however you’ve been in my thoughts. I’m grateful for this online community where I’m accepted as I am. Whenever I’ve lit a candle I see the global locations we hail from. Awesome. By practicing gratitude I’m more conscious of kinship, defining that as I am your sister, and your children’s auntie. We are a family. Safe travels to all by sky, sea, or land. Peace to each of you this Sunday. 🫶🏽☮️
Carla, this reminds me of my Paw Mu advice zen goals I’ve talked about before. She’s the strong strict caring traditional Asian collective female friend I met from the MN State Academy for the Blind school known to tell it like it is on the spot. One quarterly goal I’ve talked about before on answers and even comments to other people’s posts are to trust my people. Getting right into it, I’ve been running hot and cold with that.
Paw Mu has a point about cleaning up everything. Agendas are killers. Protection has its limits. Walls get exposed and torn down like how good offense beats great defense.
Also, knowing charm all too well, “Incompatible methods” can be used as an excuse and code for “Go away.” We’re taught to give space in the west. Be careful of overthinking, charm, and agendas. With Asian cultures being a family of families environment, people just come to us. This runs backwards with the individualized American culture I’m used to. How this Asian method benefits me is that it helps me with looking past, letting go of my agendas, reduce curruptive string-pulling tendencies, and purifies my heart.
Good morning from the panhandle of Texas. Dumas, Texas. About 250 miles from home. Practicing gratefulness made me think that we all saw the same 1/2 moon rising in the east, our room faces that direction, last dusk. All connected, from the tiny fire ants of Forney, Texas to the buzzards seen yesterday riding the waves of air currents, scanning the earth below. Thank you all for the safe travel vibes. So far so good, although we did see the aftermath of a wreck early yesterday. Something about some humans in their shiny metal tubes, tooling down the open road with a false sense of protection and seemingly flagrant disregard for physics, not to mention speed limits. Peace, Love and a renewed connection to life.
I’m in northern California and have been following this slip of a moon coming on…. we spent the beginning of this week out at the ocean – it was quite magical, of course!. … but I did NOT see it last night, so will make a point to spend time with it this evening and will think of you all and my gratitude for this community when I do. Thank you – thank you all. Yes, peace, healing, comfort and joy in this coming season……🙏
I too saw the 1/2 moon last night here in Mesa, Az. So beautiful as always. I do a lot of moon viewing & appreciate all her phases.
Safe travels to you. 🙏🏻
Continued safe vibes for the rest of your trip! We got caught up in some accident traffic on the interstate when we were headed to the mountains the other day. Then on the way home Friday, my alternator went out! We had just gotten onto the interstate from a smaller highway, so I was grateful to be in the right lane so that we could easily pull over. You certainly notice how fast others are really going when you are sitting there waiting for help to arrive.
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I find being grateful gives me a greater degree of self-awareness. I hold myself more responsible for others, for my environment, Mother Earth and all her creatures. Yesterday, I was experiencing some physical pain and I started to get overwhelmed and something deep within said “Carol, there are so many others in pain you cannot even imagine. Lift them up and send them loving energy.” When my focus left me, the pain lessened. I believe an attitude of gratitude creates an environment that helps us grow. It connects us in a way that is life-giving. I love today’s quote, “Remember you are this universe and this universe is you.” There is no “me.'”There is only “we.”
On the first Sunday of Advent, Mass reflected on this today. So many things to be grateful for and reflect on.
Today my son is having a “Friendsgiving”. I am excited to meet his friend that may turn into a serious relationship. Fingers crossed! As well as seeing many of his friends that I haven’t seen in a while. He has a lot of friends many from childhood. Funny my daughter once told me when she was younger she liked to hang out with her brother because he made friends so easily. Happy Sunday! we may get a snow storm Tuesday! ❄️
Robin, Snow is predicted in my neck of the woods tomorrow (Monday)
Being grateful reminds me of how interconnected I am to the Universe. The connection is infinite.
When I stop & give thanks for the milk in my coffee it starts with the cow & continues with the farmer, the truckers, the clerks in the store etc. I know I have missed many others in this process. Thinking about something like milk in my coffee, I realize how I am connected to so many others.
Food for thought I guess.
No person is an island. ♥️
P.S. please pray for me tomorrow as I am flying
across the country. I appreciate your prayers. Thank you kindly. 🙏🏻
🕊️♥️
PKR May you have a safe and enjoyable flight.
It is the one direct connection from my head to my heart through my body to the earth I stand on and the air I move through and the breath I take in and the sky I stand under and all that is within this realm and beyond.
I love that image! I feel the earth energy and the heavenly energy right now and right here!
When I practice gratitude, I am reminded of my connection to everything. Following everything to its source, reminds me of my connection to all of this humming energy that exists in all living things.
All just different forms of the same basic building blocks. Amazing.
Grateful to be here pondering this.
Happy Sunday everyone.
Yes, Charlie, our connection to the source…may we always give and receive with love.
It does seem
that the Universe is humming with energy,
dear Charlie . . .
doesn’t it? ♥
Practicing gratefulness leads me to stop more often to notice and appreciate the life around me and to notice how it supports me.
We are alone together.
Gratefulness slows me down and compels me to acknowledge things I would have otherwise overlooked. In that sense, gratefulness helps me to see. And when I can see my connections to life, I can acknowledge them. Maybe rushing and ignoring are actually forms of blindness, and gratefulness a form of sight.
Today’s Word for the Day sums it up so well. Many thanks, Joy Harjo. We are the whole and part of the whole.
The stream and the Ocean
Because I work for a Tissue Bank I am constantly reminded of my connection to all of life – we are a Gift of Life and for all the organ and tissue donors (and blood/platelets/plasma too) I want to say thank you! Your recipients no doubt are grateful and thankful too.
Practicing gratefulness here is a connection with a wonderful group of people who share their reflections, sometimes vulnerability, and I am grateful for all of you.
Loving kindness to all on this Sunday 🙂
Loving kindness to you too, Michele.
As my agendas are set aside with my heart purifying, I was able to come up with a collaborative Vietnamese poem yesterday with my relatives about yesterday’s snowstorm. Here we go.
Mùa Đông
Mùa đông thấy tuyết tuyệt vời.
Hôm nay thời tiết tuyết rơi cả ngày.
Nhìn màu trắng đẹp trên cây.
Chắc là phải đắp mền dầy ban đêm.
Tôi cần ôn vợ ngủ êm.
Tuần sau nhiệt độ lạnh thêm ngoài tri.
Now, here’s the English interpretation inspired by Antoinette’s idea from last summer which fits perfect like a glove for this question.
Winter.
Looking at snow falling in winter is wonderful.
Today, the forecast calls for snow all day.
Seeing the white is beautiful on trees.
For sure need a thick blanket to sleep at night.
I need to hold my wife to sleep at ease.
Next week temps will be colder outside.
That’s the poem enterpretation on my end. Point driven. I felt a deeper connection to nature, people, and eventually, life, altogether through practicing gratefulness.
Thank you for sharing your poem.
Thank you for sharing, Loc Tran! Writing poetry can be a wonderful way to touch gratefulness, and it sounds extra special to write a collaborative poem . I feel like I am there in Minnesota with you and your family ♥️
No problem, Elizabeth. It sure is. Pleasure multiplies with collaboration.
My Haiku
There is no Winter
Where I live ‘The Sunshine State’
There is no snow here
{haiku is a form of short, unrhymed poetry that originated in Japan, known for its ability to capture a single moment in a few words. In English, it traditionally consists of three lines with a 5, 7, 5 syllable pattern}.
Nice Haiku, Michele. Here’s mine responding to you.
You don’t like the snow?
Florida will welcome you.
We have beaches and heat.
Speaking of which, it’s why there’s the Miami Heat basketball team.
The practice vibrates inside of me and radiates outward, connecting with all of the energy around me, all of the energy of the universe. I can’t help but be reminded of my connection to all of life when I feel that. Its strong, encompassing, and warm. Like a hug from the universe ✨
Sunnypatti– I love all of the images in your post! “practice vibrates inside me” “radiates outwards” “connecting with…. Energy.” “Hug from the universe. Thank you ♥️
Sunnypatti, I feel that warmth too with a more purified heart. It makes it easier to connect to others no matter the difficulty. Most importantly, I know myself, what I stand for, and have a firm foundation. My “Be adaptable, not changeable” Locster brand slogan guides me too.
It’s been said “no one is an island,” (written inclusively), I too saw the new moon referenced by Jospeh. I’m very aware of our global connectedness. I’ve missed posting the last few days, however you’ve been in my thoughts. I’m grateful for this online community where I’m accepted as I am. Whenever I’ve lit a candle I see the global locations we hail from. Awesome. By practicing gratitude I’m more conscious of kinship, defining that as I am your sister, and your children’s auntie. We are a family. Safe travels to all by sky, sea, or land. Peace to each of you this Sunday. 🫶🏽☮️
I love this, Carla.
Carla, this reminds me of my Paw Mu advice zen goals I’ve talked about before. She’s the strong strict caring traditional Asian collective female friend I met from the MN State Academy for the Blind school known to tell it like it is on the spot. One quarterly goal I’ve talked about before on answers and even comments to other people’s posts are to trust my people. Getting right into it, I’ve been running hot and cold with that.
Paw Mu has a point about cleaning up everything. Agendas are killers. Protection has its limits. Walls get exposed and torn down like how good offense beats great defense.
Also, knowing charm all too well, “Incompatible methods” can be used as an excuse and code for “Go away.” We’re taught to give space in the west. Be careful of overthinking, charm, and agendas. With Asian cultures being a family of families environment, people just come to us. This runs backwards with the individualized American culture I’m used to. How this Asian method benefits me is that it helps me with looking past, letting go of my agendas, reduce curruptive string-pulling tendencies, and purifies my heart.
Thank you for your comments. I now head out to shovel. Gift from Mother Nature to us living in northern state of MInnesota 😉
Good morning from the panhandle of Texas. Dumas, Texas. About 250 miles from home. Practicing gratefulness made me think that we all saw the same 1/2 moon rising in the east, our room faces that direction, last dusk. All connected, from the tiny fire ants of Forney, Texas to the buzzards seen yesterday riding the waves of air currents, scanning the earth below. Thank you all for the safe travel vibes. So far so good, although we did see the aftermath of a wreck early yesterday. Something about some humans in their shiny metal tubes, tooling down the open road with a false sense of protection and seemingly flagrant disregard for physics, not to mention speed limits. Peace, Love and a renewed connection to life.
Joseph, It is fascinating that we all see the same moon. Nature is always our teacher. Hope you make it home today without any weather issues.
I’m in northern California and have been following this slip of a moon coming on…. we spent the beginning of this week out at the ocean – it was quite magical, of course!. … but I did NOT see it last night, so will make a point to spend time with it this evening and will think of you all and my gratitude for this community when I do. Thank you – thank you all. Yes, peace, healing, comfort and joy in this coming season……🙏
I too saw the 1/2 moon last night here in Mesa, Az. So beautiful as always. I do a lot of moon viewing & appreciate all her phases.
Safe travels to you. 🙏🏻
Looking out my bedroom windows, last night, saw the half moon as well.
Safe travels.
I saw the half-moon last night too – yes, we are all connected. Continued safe travels to you 🙂
Continued safe vibes for the rest of your trip! We got caught up in some accident traffic on the interstate when we were headed to the mountains the other day. Then on the way home Friday, my alternator went out! We had just gotten onto the interstate from a smaller highway, so I was grateful to be in the right lane so that we could easily pull over. You certainly notice how fast others are really going when you are sitting there waiting for help to arrive.
Joseph, so lovely ! Thank you for that connection. 🙏I saw that half moon as well. You just help me feel connected . Thank you .