March 2023
Gratitude is Woven Throughout the Tapestry of My Life
Listen to the audio version by Dorothy
The title of this newsletter was the February 24th inspiration on my Hay House daily calendar, remaining in view on my desk with the implicit message that it be considered for this month's topic. And, here it is!
The late Louise Hay expressed gratitude frequently during her day, as I do too, from my early morning mirror affirmations to last thing at night, and many times in between ... such as my gratitude for Larry Moss at MountainWeb.ca who creatively transforms my Word scripts and whimsical ideas into their complementary illustrations. February, especially, had so much to be grateful for: warm feedback on last month's topic and the comfort of Hot Buttered Toast; joyful birthday celebrations, along with personal reflection on my incredible life ... despite amazement for the speed of its chronology!
Loving ourselves can be the greatest expression of our gratitude, for when we love who we are on the inside, and reach out to others from that love, its ripple effect embraces not only those in our world, but far beyond, just as that tiny little acorn had everything within it to become the mighty oak tree.
Dr. Ernest Holmes, the founder of Religious Science, lists 92 references for love in the Science of Mind textbook, referring to it as an impelling force. I see this impelling force as steadfast when it comes from within, for each of us is a unique soul, deserving of our highest appreciation. Dr. Barbara De Angelis writes on the importance of loving ourselves with her words: "No matter what age you are, or what your circumstances might be, you are special, and you still have something unique to offer. Your life, because of who you are, has meaning."
So let's acknowledge the value of this meaning and our unique offering - to ourselves, our families, and to those with whom we interact. I was on a Zoom call this morning with four friends who were part of my last corporate role until twenty years ago; though none of us today is part of that world the common thread is that each of our days are filled in diverse and meaningful ways, and the bond we formed, way back when, remains strong.
How we start our day can set the tone for the entire day, and choosing to start it with faith and optimism on an upward spiral creates a much better feeling than going into a downward one. How do you start your day? Perhaps saying "Good Morning, World, it's a Great Day"! Are we faking it at times? Maybe so, and especially on those days when it's tempting to pull the covers back over our head. Birds are wonderful examples with their early morning songs, regardless of the weather, and are such a joy to hear beneath my window as I wake, reminding me of a favourite quote by Rabindranath Tagore: "Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark". So faking it could be your faith that it is indeed a great day, for the truth is that waking up makes it a great day.
I don't know its source but recall reading that as we age our past is longer, our future shorter and our present deeper. While realistically I accept that my future is much shorter than my past, I absolutely believe - and did extensive research for one of my ministry thesis papers - that we can remain young at heart as we age, especially when we add the key component of laughter! If living alone, we can record movies that make us laugh, or have telephone conversations with friends that result in hilarious laughter.
We know that everything starts with an intention, so let's deepen our present moments by enjoying the songs of the birds, extra daylight, favourite movies and laughter with friends, and by weaving gratitude throughout the unique tapestry of our lives.
I wish you a happy St. Patrick's Day on the 17th. Hearing the peppy and uplifting Irish music, you might even feel like dancing a jig - safely, of course!
Until we meet again ... Blessèd be to you. Namasté.
Dorothy B.
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Rev. Dorothy Blandford, Ph.D
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