Staying grounded - Week Twenty

"As we express our gratitude we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." ~John F. Kennedy

Week Twenty ( November 6 - 12)

Gratitude does not always arrive assuredly. Often I must burrow through the remains of the day seeking gratitude in a difficult world of confusion as life unravels. Staying grounded when others fall short, shifting from discomfort to explore the positive embers within my grasp and allowing the light to appear and rekindle my faith, that is where I must continue to go.

After a long day with my sister or the silent stages with my mother where life drops in, I pursue the gratitude I was lacking, uncovering it in the place where their laughter delivers a smile and I am reminded of the good that still exists. On these days when I struggle to drop her off as she fills with tears I reach for gratitude in the life she created, remembering our childhood of  tenderness where everything began.

During these twenty weeks of discovery, I have noticed a shift in my perspective as I step towards the lightness of gratitude instead of the condemnation of dark, exploring the good that often needs uncovering instead of the negative that is pushed before me. These small changes awaken the evidence I continue to reach for, and the proof I need on this journey for grace. 

And so even on the days when gratitude is furthest from my grasp, I peer out the window and notice the beauty that awaits with the new sunrise, where a day unfolds into the opportunity to try again, and for now, that wonder captivates me enough to do it again.

From the list...

Week twenty: A friend 2

I am the luckiest person around when it comes to friendship. I am blessed with the most amazing friends who support me, motivate me and inspire me to reach further, hold on or just be myself.