One is never lacking in opportunities each day to be happy,
as the wonderful G.K. Chesterton reminded us in 1908:
The test of all happiness is gratitude.
Children are grateful when Santa Claus puts in their stockings gifts of toys or sweets.
Could I not be grateful to Santa Claus when he puts in my stockings the gift of two miraculous legs?
photo nevit dilmen
Even in the midst of great pain, Lord,
I praise you for that which is.
I will not refuse this grief
or close myself to this anguish.
Let shallow men pray for ease:
“Comfort us; shield us from sorrow.”
I pray for whatever you send me,
and I ask to receive it as your gift.
You have put a joy in my heart
greater than all the world’s riches.
I lie down trusting the darkness,
for I know that even now you are here.
Psalm 4, from Stephen Mitchell, A Book of Psalms: Selected and Adapted from the Hebrew.
Stay at the center of the circle
and let all things take their course
Tao Te Ching, 19
Every morning
I surrender to being here
I let go into gravity
It takes practice
To give up habitual holding on, holding in, holding back
Every morning I open myself
And invite grace to have its way with me
Oriah Mountain Dreamer
photo joolz
Sometimes things happen that we do not understand and we wish were otherwise. Rumi offers some solace:
Give up to grace.
The ocean takes care of each wave until it gets to the shore
Rumi
photo CC-BY
Another reflection on the calming effects of nature.
This famous haiku reflects on the letting go found under a tree when all things feel at home and we know that beauty is being born at every second. At times like this we treat all moments and all people as friends
In the cherry blossom’s shade
there’s no such thing
as a stranger
Kobayashi Issa, 1763 – 1828
