Gratitude on a Monday

10 September 2012

It's Monday!  Thank you for all the encouragement, story sharing, and comments on face book.  Over 1,000 of you have experienced life in such a way that compassion, humility, and dare I say...humor! flow through your words.  Those seeds grow, mature, and and prove as fruitful as a zucchini plant in August.  You are abundant, prolific, and generous beyond what you first dreamed.  Amazing how one seed fed and nourished can produce enough to share with those whom we call neighbors.

There are no words deep enough or profound enough to express my gratitude.

Its strange how after a season of harvest, I am back to the beginning of the cycle.  Dried out husks, shriveled green bean and pea pods, shaken out petunias and celosias pour out their promise for next spring.  Right now they are stored energy awaiting their chance to fully die and be born again in the life of the next generation.  The original plant's purpose grows tall, strong and vital, not for merely it's own life, but gives it's self over to bear fruit for others.  This living, dying, and rising again is reflected in every day's sunrise, daytime, twilight, and sunset.  We see it in plants across the globe.  We witness it in the faces of babies, juveniles, young adults and elders until their death.

What are you willing to give your life for during your (hopefully) 8-10 decades on the planet?  Where do you serve and why?  Who inspires you to offer yourself as patiently as a nursing mother or playing child?  How will your actions define those core beliefs you describe?

When having conversation with struggling couples, I ask them if they are willing to die for each other.  Most say yes.  Then, I reply that the work they need to do should be a reasonable alternative to death.  Giving or sharing our true self takes courage.  There could always be those that lodge an easy poison through words meant to tear down and/or kill the essence of who we are.  Taking the risk to bear fruit shows belief beyond ourselves, our lifetimes, and our resources.  We offer up what energy we possess into a pool of greater good that changes the world for the better one blossom, one fruit, one harvest, one life at a time.

I've discovered that spending time outside broadens my view and my health.  The cycles put things in perspective.  The open sky full of stars and planets reminds me of the dust I am and the dust to which I will return someday.  The shower chair is being returned.  The energy comes in waves and increases a bit each day.  When I take care of this body which carries my spirit, I find more reason to surrender, be present and patient in both senses of the word.  Thank you for sharing your harvest, dear friends.  Thank you.