Day 30: The love is big y'all...
This morning I am appreciating the opportunities we have as humans on this earth to reflect and work for renewal within ourselves. I'm not talking about once a year resolutions here...of which I make plenty. I'm talking about the little things we do to take care of ourselves: the warm cup of tea when no one else is stirring in the house, the morning run, the journaling, the painting and stitching, the walking, the deep breaths...the solitary things that we do as meditations. I'm talking about the life-long, daily work of carving out time and sitting with our own thoughts...as a way of surviving the overwhelming stresses in our lives, but also as a kind of soul-seeking, upward mobility of the spirit. This introspection is such a uniquely human thing. So then, take this concept and multiply it by all of the people who participated in this "30 Days with a Grateful Heart" exercise or project or whatever you want to call it.
Reading through all of these gratitude posts over the last month has been so incredibly rewarding...more than I could have ever imagined. This exercise in finding gratitude in the little things turned into so much more. More laughter, more admiration of people that I know and love, more kinship with folks I've never even met before. I'm gonna go ahead and say that you people, who shared your gratitudes over this last month have changed my life. Before you roll your eyes, know that I KNOW that I take myself too seriously...and that I KNOW that I feel too deeply, that I am a weep-easy. That being said, these public declarations of love for your families and other people that are sacred to you in this world...well they have moved me to tears. I applaud your stories of perseverance. I cheer for your victories...the hard earned academic accolades, the long fought triumphs over injury, illness or loss. My heart swells when I read through your stories of enduring love...love for this life and the people in it. I don't think I can possibly thank all of you individually...so please know that I have so much gratitude for you. Mad love to you for sharing yourself. Moving us. Inspiring us.
Love begets love and for this I thank you.