GRATITUDE MONTH: DAY 14: “Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.”― Maya Angelou
I am a morning person. I wake up full of my crazy head…it wants to take me out of my bed and around the world in minutes. Insanity! Ego! Screaming Purple Monkeys! (SPM)…so I have learned to do all the grounding things I know in the morning, so I can step into the day with the right attitude and being (hopefully!) mindful of my true size in the Universe.
So, I have my practice. I do so many things that I sometimes am in my bed each morning for about 2 hours before I get up (other than to attend to physical necessities…happens when you my age!) And I love the practice. Then, while I am in my kitchen making breakfast, I read a beautiful piece I have had for almost 25 years that is hanging there. It is a combined prayer that was written by several Indigenous tribes as their Prayer of Thanksgiving. This is more detailed and a broader scope than my early morning letter to the Universal Power, so I get a big dose of Gratitude each day.
Throughout the day, it is always possible to hear me singing the song I learned from Allene…the AA Anthem, she called it. We later called it the Allene Anthem after she passed. Now I just call it the Gratitude God song. It has been with me for over 30 years and never fails to lift me up and squash my fears.
I feel so blessed to have gotten sober and learned these practices. I am becoming so devout with them that I hate when I have to leave my house early in the mornings (being retired has this benefit, so keep on working folks, I did that too!) For many years I had to do this before I got up and got ready for work. It was an early start. Lucky me! I can meditate for as long as I like. Sometimes 30-45 minutes! And then I do my stuff. What a great life! Believe me, I am not bragging, just talking (one more time) about the blessings of life…the real blessings. These have nothing to do with money, property or prestige.
The true blessings of a life filled with attention to what matters, mindfulness and beauty and the things that money cannot buy. The sweetness of my silly cat who tries to help me cook. He is wonderful and I am blessed when he wants to hang out with me more than anyone. And he does the craziest things! I seldom got to hang out with any of my animals this much, except Pancho that amazing dog in the past.
And the place where I live consistently takes my breath away! The power and the beauty of this part of the coast is something I never get tired of. And the nature around me. The vast array of birds and critters…omg!
So, all in all, still consider myself to be God’s Favorite kid. And you can be too. The only requirement is that we remember who we are and share the beauty and blessings of living like it!
Dolphin Hug 