Sunday, April 10

A Spiritual Awakening, Part I. Appreciating Life's Gifts, Staying in the Moment, Not Distracted by Fear, Sadness or Resentment 4/10/11

"The glory of Christianity is to conquer by forgiveness." William
Blake. "Forgiveness is freedom. Tony Dailo.   "To forgive is
 God-like, one of the greatest uses of free will."  Anonymous
"Forgiveness is man's deepest need and highest achievement."
 Horace Bushnell    "The weak can never forgive.  Forgiveness is
 the attribute of the strong."  Mahatma Gandhi. "Unforgiveness is
 the burning of the bridge we must cross ourselves." Tim Blessed
   "Forgiveness is the price of Happiness."  M. Pilbeam
   It's easy, letting the briars of life distract us.  It is during these times we want to select the burrs of good-ness embedded in whatever blanket life tosses our way.

     It is easy, losing touch with the joys each day offers.  May the following passage awaken our desire to celebrate life more than we already do.

     It offers nuggets of riches.  This is true in spite of the bleak pro-nouncements of the news.  Here's the excerpt:
  Life has many treasures if I'm willing to accept them, but none can do more for me than learning really to live in the pre-sent.  That means being more aware of myself and of small happy things that often dramatize themselves into importance as I observe them with enjoyment. [For more about what it's like, being in this state, please read here.] 
        No matter how grim the situation may be that troubles my waking thoughts,  there are shining nuggets of pleasantness all around me to distract my mind from its cares. But I must be on the lookout for them  so they will not be lost to me!  
        Aldous Huxley said it this way: 'For every man, the world is as fresh as it was the first day, and as full of untold novelties for him who has the eyes to see them.'  This is a constructive and rewarding way of achieving the detachment necessary from the urgent but unimportant demands of life. 
"God make me receptive and aware; restore to me my ca-pacity for wonder.
       
     The upcoming week pro-vides many opportunities to celebrate life.  Yes, it does.  During whatever season, we do ourselves a favor when making time to delight in life's beauty. 

         In the winter, it may be nature draped with snow or the rare sun-ny moment.  We can behold the austere loveliness of barren winter trees. 

          In spring, there are many wonders: the crack of a baseball mak-ing contact with a bat or playing cricket.  We can take in birdsongs or visually inhale the blooming of flowers.  
       
       It can be the buzz of lawnmowers sprucing up neighbor-hood yards.  A breathtaking mo-ment can be the roar of a rain-swollen river accompanying a hike in nature.  

        Fall offers de-lightful moments: sitting in a warm living room,  curled up with a good book.  It can be the cool, crisp air while out on a country walk.  Kind deeds nurture, any time of the year, whether we perform or receive them. 

         Being aware of these moments is staying present, increasing our joy. 

         Looking for the many mini-vacations the day provides is celebrating life, savoring its richness.  


         Today, appreciate lovely clouds.  Luxuriate in the purr of a cat.  Delight in the zen-like day-dreaminess that pop up during "mindless" moments.  

         These are the small gifts life provides.  They happen while giving detailed attention to the frosting a cake.  Or while pulling weeds, sewing, nailing a board or doing dishes.

         Inhale these moments.  We are inhaling life riches when we do.  The process of living is fulfilling in itself.  Frequently it is more rewarding than any task performed.  

        What does it cost?  Perhaps five minutes.  Sometimes these beautiful moments are briefer than that.  They are tiny vacations available throughout the day.  


        The value of gratitude is that it nurtures our souls, increasing our capacity for wonder.  

         We allow songs of thanks to reverberate within our hearts.  We're seizing gifts God offers each day.  We're are cultivating an Attitude of Gratitude.
 
        Please share how you capture wonder.  I love hearing your gratitudes.  Doing so meets the vision of this inn. 
 Image: "Cumbria: Mountain River"  by Tim Blessed © all rights reserved, used by permission

5 comments:

Broken said...

Great thoughts about appreciating the present instead of pondering over the past and future :)

As someone who nearly always lives with the words 'was' and 'could be' while losing the word 'now',I couldnt agree more on the importance of taking a breath and enjoying the moment for the sake of peace at least...

Great blog by the way,I'm so glad to have discovered it :D

Pablo said...

Dear Broken,

I love your poetry. Very inspiring. I look forward to you dropping by. I appreciate your insights---you speak in a way that resonates with me.

Thank you, for visiting the inn and sharing your views!

Pablo said...

Dear Loredana,

Your blog---for readers who are unaware---is an incarnation of what I write here. I love your the power you share through poetry and your ability to match your sentiments with beautiful photos. Kudos to you, I learn from you.

Thank you, for dropping by. I hope to see you here, again, soon!

Unknown said...

Gratitude can strike at any moment, with anything or about anyone. I do find a different gratitude that comes through spirituality. The difference in them to me is that one will have a feeling of being thankful, while the other comes with a feeling of awe, wonderment, a feeling of wanting more, just utter true amazement for the feeling you are feeling. And perhaps at times its followed by a humbled cry of thankfulness to the Lord for him giving you such a blessing.

Unknown said...

Gratitude can strike at any moment, with anything or about anyone. I do find a different gratitude that comes through spirituality. The difference in them to me is that one will have a feeling of being thankful, while the other comes with a feeling of awe, wonderment, a feeling of wanting more, just utter true amazement for the feeling you are feeling. And perhaps at times its followed by a humbled cry of thankfulness to the Lord for him giving you such a blessing.

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