GRATITUDE MONTH: DAY 8: “Grant me daily the grace of gratitude, to be thankful for all my gifts, and so be freed from artificial needs, that I might lead a joyful, simple life.” ― Edward Hays
I love writing my daily gratitude letter. I address it to Universal Power each day. This keeps me mindful of just who is responsible for the amazing gifts I enjoy in my life. I laugh at some of the things I write, because they are not things most people ever think about.
Lungs, breathing, heartbeat, excellent blood pressure, being smart, nice handwriting, education, books and music, trees (especially sycamores, oaks, and redwoods), flowers (long list of favs!), and on it goes. I don’t know how I could inhabit a world without dolphins and hummingbirds. Does not seem possible, yet I cannot do anything to create them…they just ARE. Isn’t that amazing?
Today my list included several miracles from my day before. There was a beautiful rainbow over Morro Bay…stunning! We had a big storm the night before, and just the moisture in the astonishing clouds blowing overhead made a rainbow!
There was a beautiful flock of pelicans flying in formation, the way they do, dropping and raising themselves as they flew into and through a windy sky. I used to live where pelicans were more numerous than they are here. I love their perfect formations when they fly. Makes me smile.
After the storm, the sky is filled with birds hunting and moving around, so I got to also see a Great Blue Heron, he was stunning! And the osprey that has claimed the telephone pole in my yard as his dining place showed up with his catch from the back end of the bay, a fish about a foot and a half long. He eats it for hours, just hanging out up there. Beautiful creature!
Hummingbirds were buzzing me while I trimmed the vines in my front yard. They are out of nectar and want me to refill their bottles. I did.
3 new monarch butterflies were drying their wings on a couple of shrubs. They waved hello to me as I worked. I was out there for hours cleaning up from the storm. It was a blustery, cool Fall day. Being a big fan of Summer, I sometimes do not appreciate how beautiful a blustery, stormy day can be. I am grateful to say thanks for that as well.
I am gifted with so much…a lovely home where I am happy and content. A funny cat who gets into the most amazing situations. A really good companion because he is more like a dog than a cat. I love it! Beautiful gardens that I have created from a yard that was neglected and let go for a long time. Now it is a little paradise I enjoy caring for. It provides me with sustenance because I love to grow my groceries. I cannot imagine not being fully grateful for all of these things.
Dolphin Hug 