BLESSINGS IN DISGUISE

     The Thanksgiving Day festivities are over. The guests have gone, the dishes have been washed, leftovers are stashed in the refrigerator, and the table decorations packed up till next year. But, an attitude of gratitude remains, and I find myself feeling grateful for the many blessings in my life as they flow through my consciousness: a kind and loving family, lots of amazing friends, a healthy body, a beautiful home, meaningful work, and an abiding awareness of Spirit as the ground of my Being.

 

EXTENDING BLESSINGS

     While it feels good to spend time feeling thankful for these wonderful, abundant blessings, I'm also doing my best to heed Ralph Waldo Emerson's advice: "Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you... And because ALL things have contributed to your advancement, you should include ALL things in your gratitude."

     The added emphasis on the word "all" is mine, because I'm doing my best to extend an attitude of gratitude to those people and circumstances that have seemed challenging and less than joyful in my life. For they, too, have contributed valuable lessons and areas of growth for which I am thankful.

 

REMEMBERING BLESSINGS

     As I revisit my list of blessings, it also includes those individuals who've helped me with my anger and control issues; the litany of aches and pains that have visited my body recently; the long list of repairs I "should" do on our house; the ways that my work has confused and confounded me; the times when I felt completely disconnected from Spirit...

     I don't need to dwell on the details of how and why these challenging blessings emerged in my life. In this moment, it is enough to embrace them in consciousness and feel thankful. I simply choose to remember that all of these people and circumstances have blessed me, whether or not they felt "good" -- or if I was even aware of them at the time. Right here and now, I see them in the light of love, and give thanks for this opportunity to embrace them ALL with gratitude. That's my prayerful blessing, and I'm sharing it with you in hopes that you, too, can embrace the wide range of blessings in your life with gratitude.

 With joy,

     Rudi

PS: I hope you can join us for our Giving Thanks potluck following this Sunday's Morning Circle from 12:15 - 1:30. Bring some food to share, a grateful heart, and a good story or joke, if you've heard one lately. Let us know if you're planning to come by contacting us at circle@celebrationcircle.org. Volunteers are also needed for set-up and clean-up, let us know if you can help!

THANK YOU for holding the Circle in your heart by visualizing a generous flow of financial abundance. Thank you for supporting us as we continue our work of fostering a creative, inclusive approach to spirituality. We are deeply grateful.