“Love is prayerfulness groping toward godliness.
Love is poetry born out of the sheer joy of being.
Love is song, dance, celebration:
a song of gratitude, a dance of thankfulness, celebration for no reason at all,
for this tremendous gift that goes on showering on us, for this whole universe,
from the dust to the divine.”
~ Osho, The Power of Love
I am truly, perhaps inexplicably, thankful for EVERYTHING! I carry “a song of gratitude” in my heart. I dance *and pray no one is watching* within my thankfulness. I revel in “celebration for no reason at all.”
Maybe it sounds inconceivable to hear someone say that they are thankful for everything – I suppose it could also sound somewhat trite. On second thought, it might even sound a bit crazy… Granted, my view is undoubtedly tinted by my experiences of the past 2 1/2 years, but I still feel (more than anything else) grateful. Don’t misunderstand: I am in NO way thankful that my beloved died – but I AM grateful that he did not suffer, we were not wrecked by the cost of an extended hospitalization, and that we lived fully and together up until the moment that we didn’t. I cannot claim to be directly thankful that the company that employed me for the past 20 years closed its doors, this past summer. I am grateful beyond measure that other opportunities continue to arise that make it possible for me to pursue a creative life as an alternative, though. I am by no means thankful that my home was burglarized last fall, especially in light of the fact that that experience has had far reaching consequences. I can honestly say, however, that it could have been so much worse! I am eternally grateful that my dog was not harmed, they did not set my house on fire, or cause senseless damage (i.e. broken windows, destroy the furniture, or vandalize the interior). For all of these things, and so much more, I am daily grateful…
Essentially, I am humbled every day by the richness of a life filled with love. The love of family, friends, and my trusty side kick (the one and only Wito) lifts me above any worries over what I lack. I am grateful for lessons learned, wishes granted, dreams fulfilled, opportunities presented, choices given, shoulders cried on, and the support of an amazing network to remind me *because we all forget how lucky we are sometimes* that I am enough, that all will be well, and that worry only robs us of tomorrow’s joys.
I wish you more blessings than you can count – “…from the dust to the divine”!
- Penny
“Wherever I have knocked, a door has opened.
Wherever I have wandered, a path has appeared.”
~Alice Walker, In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens
I am grateful for the life I’ve chosen, or rather the life which has chosen me. If, 30 years ago, someone had suggested that I would become a mother, wife, artist, art instructor, and art consultant, producing my own work, directing art events, and working with children, the elderly, and people with disabilities, I’d have wondered what crystal ball they’d used to see that future for me. True, I’ve always been drawn to art (pun definitely intended). From the moment, clear in my memory, of my father presenting me with my first box of 64 Crayola crayons at 7 years old, I’ve called myself (just to myself, at first) an artist. I’m eternally grateful to my father for his early and constant support. I’m also grateful to my mother for her admonition to “get your education, since you don’t want to be an artist starving in a garret”. And now, I am thankful for the unconditional love and support of my husband and son, which make my life’s work possible.
Whenever I’ve asked for help, it appeared. Sometimes the help came in unusual ways or took unexpected forms (the Universe has an interesting way of doing that), but I’m grateful for how so many of my requests were answered. People have entered my life for a reason, a season or a lifetime, and I’m thankful for all I’ve learned and shared as a result. And, when the road ahead looked uncertain in my progress to this life, an idea dawned, an opportunity beckoned, the right person appeared, a door opened, and the path was made clear.
And so, on this Thanksgiving Day, I give thanks to all I’ve encountered on this wonder-filled journey; my family, friends, fellow creative travelers, and to those I’ve not yet encountered: I can’t wait to meet you!
- Michelle
