~Inner Gratitude~

Each year I have entered the month of November with a strong passion to express my grateful heart...I live with it daily, all year long...but, for some reason, sweet November speaks to me. It could be because it is the month of my Mothers' birth  OR the month I married my best OR one of my FAVORITE holidays, 'Thanksgiving.'  Whatever the inspiration, it speaks to me~

As I begin my daily gratitude, I am brought to a place inside of myself that requires me to think harder, dig deeper and challenge myself.  Over the last few years, it has been like a puzzle & trying to fit all of the pieces together has NOT been easy...many times I have felt like throwin' in the towel, but, in those moments, I have reminded myself to "Let go &  Let God."  That isn't always an easy thing to do...especially  when I've had certain "idea" about how my life should go...and in my stillness, I've tuned in to the messages that appear when I am stuck in "rut," it is then that my life begins a transformation, a metamorphosis if you will, into exactly what God has intended for it to be...even during those hesitant moments I have learned to be comfortable with the unknown. Not so easy, right?  

Faith, without reservation!  Leaping forward wholeheartedly...as if the child in you has never been hurt or disappointed or sad or lost. It is through those experiences that all  feelings rise to the surface and create a "closed off" mindset.  I have found that living in a "what if" world will hold me back from becoming the very being that God intended.  

A quick relation to my rambling...

Thanksgiving 2008 was my last holiday with my favorite man in the world, my Poppi (Father).  He was dying of lung cancer. He was my very best friend...the one in this world that really knew how to get me to dig deep and reach within. A man that was passionate over his viewpoints, calm over what could not be "undone" and someone who loved as if you were the only one in his world~ I was there daily for his journey to his new beginning. I was devastated, yet, continued, just as he taught me, to be an open book with him, to be grateful for the time I was continuing to spend with him, to treat him with dignity and respect and admiration.  

This is not about his journey onwards, but rather about the teachings he left behind...and the ones I continue to see and believe in~  From a very young age I recall him intertwining his life with the rich and the poor and treating them equally. He did not see a person for what they had or didn't have, but for the soul that lied within.  I believe to this day that because I was witness to his lighthearted nature, I, in turn, am more apt to demonstrate those very teachings.  I feel truly blessed, beyond grateful, thankful in every aspect of the word~ 

Has anyone or anything every moved you beyond your grateful heart?  Made you explore places that you did not realize you were capable of?  I would love to hear from you...have you share your own experiences...maybe a tradition or two that you have incorporated into your life during this very special holiday...a holiday dedicated to unity in stopping the clock, if just for a day, and celebrating togetherness & all that we are blessed with...and of course, reaching out with just ONE simple random act of kindness...ALL WALKS of life...without judgment...just faith, in knowing that you are giving yourself, wholeheartedly.

On a final note, I want to express to each of you that have come to my link/blog and taken the time to find out more about me as well as share in my experiences, I thank you.  It is my belief that each and every day we encounter spirituality...but, due to the fast-pace of our worlds, we do not often slow down and embrace the moment. My wish for you is that today you do just that...embrace the moment. Give Thanks. Count, literally, your blessings. Stop reaching and yearning for more, yet instead be truly grateful for what you have. Love open-heartily, honestly and don't be afraid to take a leap of FAITH.

"Thanksgiving is the holiday of peace, the celebration of work and the simple life... a true folk-festival that speaks the poetry of the turn of the seasons, the beauty of seed time and harvest, the ripe product of the year - and the deep, deep connection of all these things with God."  ~Ray Stannard Baker (David Grayson)

Many Blessings for a warm and loving Thanksgiving day!