October's grandeur ushered in November's crispcool breezes and multicolored leafcovers this week. I step onto a blanketed earth with burgeoning feelings of gratitude. Despite life's stressors, I start the search for gratitude moments that will change my outlook and bring back a positive spirit.
With the election as a key topic in the world, I feel unbalanced as do many others. The above photo shot by my daughter reminds me to be grateful for the beauty of nature this year while the following inspirational quotes are quick gratitude snaps that bring peace and harmony into focus. I hope these thoughts allow us all to find common ground and grow into wise individuals who do not grieve for things we do not have but rejoice for things we have in front of us (paraphrased from Epictetus, the Greek Stoic philosopher).
- "I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, the old and the new." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
- "Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things." - Robert Brault
- “Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good. - Maya Angelou
From the above quotes, I created a found poem to lift my thoughts:
morning thanksgiving
for little things,
gratitude, and
faith to
welcome
good
©CV, 2020
With internal thoughts comes quiet time and reflection. The following psalm I found holds a positive action step. I thank my friend, Ramona Behnke from the state of Washington, for her gorgeous nature photo that she offered for my Abundant Autumn Gallery. It has a tremendous calming effect.
Today is the day to take my anxiety down and change my perspective. I have been on a long journey of building a new house in Virginia, selling my home on Long Island, dealing with disability paperwork for my son, along with coping with #QuarantineLife during a pandemic. Stress levels are high so peace and resolve are needed to continue the next leg of the journey.
An "awe walk" (a stroll in which you intentionally shift your attention outward instead of inward) will help me lessen anxiety down and boost my outlook. Life does not pause for our stressors. It moves on and so I look to the psalm for guidance and family and friends for support.
I send autumn thanks to this month's Spiritual Journey Thursday host, Ruth Hersey from Haiti, for suggesting the topic of gratitude and to my SJT community of friends for supporting my long journey. In thanksgiving, I created a Buncee Gratitude Snap for my faithful and supportive friends.
