Thankfulness, even now
Thankfulness
Yes, it can seem hard to sustain a mood of gratitude, especially these days. It takes practice. That’s why we have these ritual opportunities. Not just to feast, not just to feast together. To take a moment, a scheduled moment, to feel and speak, to acknowledge and affirm our gratitude for the many things that we are grateful for. Even these days. Even if we have to reach a bit to find them.
Here’s a reflection I wrote on US Thanksgiving Day 12 years ago.
Be sure to think this day (every day?) about what you are thankful for. And who you are thankful for. And be sure to tell them.
Let me start: I’m thankful for you — friends, family, colleagues, coaches, mentors, teachers, guides, clients and readers. Dancers and party animals. Chefs and dinner partners. Poets and pundits (well, poets).
For the blaze of sunlight, and the web of life that coils sunlight into flowers and slugs, peacocks and lions, sharks and ants and symphonies.
For acceptance. And resistance. And compassion.
For obstacles. For abundant possibility.
For the infinite mystery at the heart of all being.
For my breath this day.
For the one breath. Of all life. Every day.
“Change is hard.” It takes practice!
It takes practice living in these climate times. Despite accelerating progress (which is happening faster than I would have ever imagined in my 50+ years in this field) it’s all woefully slow. “Predatory delay,“ as Alex Steffen calls it. And despite our frustration and anger at what “they” are doing and not doing, we can point some frustration and anger at ourselves too. At both macro and macro levels, we humans don’t always do what we want to do, what we say we’ll do, what we know we need to do. What’s that about? How do we work this?
“They” say “change is hard”…and yet it happens. So what do we do about it — again, at both macro and macro levels? November’s Living Between Worlds — with Grace, Dignity, and Power took on these challenges of change about climate change. Come listen (or listen again) to our discussion on our YouTube channel. (Reminder: Please “like” and “subscribe” when you’re there; YouTube treats us better when you do. ;-) And we hope you’ll register for upcoming sessions of Living Between Worlds! (Next one: December 20th! We’ve got something special in store, so please join us!And bring a friend!)
“Because people are hungry for meaningful conversations that move worlds. Let’s have some!”
