I Am Thankful Today ...

Throughout our lives, we have all had a variety of years … successful years that give us much to be thankful for, challenging years that make us dig deep to find our gratitude, and many “normal” years that we tend to take for granted and therefore often forget to count our blessings.  Perhaps you had a year of successful accomplishments, of challenges survived, or maybe mistakes you have learned from.  Perhaps you had a year of refreshing firsts or tender lasts.  Whatever your year may have held, please join me this Thanksgiving in reflecting on the year with gratitude …

  

I am most thankful for my family … those who are with us every day, providing us with many moments to treasure; those we don’t see as often as we should; those who have moved away and we see but once or twice a year; and those who graced our lives for but a short time now visiting us only in our memories and in our hearts.  Perhaps you have family you long to forgive … maybe now is the time to make that happen. 

      

I am thankful for friends and coworkers … those we see every day, those we vow to see more often, those who have retired or moved away, and even those we may only visit via email, text or facebook.   

I am thankful for goals accomplished … we can all be proud of our successes; but I am also thankful for the goals that we still struggle to attain … thankful to always have something more to strive for each day. 

I am thankful for the simple things … the beauty of nature that surrounds us … the sunrise and sunset, the colors of leaves in the fall,  the smell of cut grass in the summer, and a quiet snowfall on a winter day.  I am thankful for a cup of coffee on the porch and moments spent with family.  I am even thankful for piles of dishes and laundry … means we’re leading busy lives; thankful for the extra pounds on my hips … means I have enough to eat; and thankful for piles of photos that need to be organized … means I had a year of great memories.  

And I am simply thankful for TODAY and all that this moment holds!  Yes, I am happy today!

The Treasures of My Personal Legend

“Wherever your heart is, that is where you’ll find your treasure.”  (Paulo Coehlo, The Alchemist). 

As I step through the front door from my afternoon walk, my cheeks still raw from the crisp, wet air, I am greeted by the sounds of my children playfully arguing in the kitchen.   It has been a dreary, rainy day that would probably have been better suited for curling up in a chair with a good book (such as The Alchemist) and a cup of hot tea.  But thankfully, the rain subsided long enough to allow me to take a walk to the park and back.  I had been longing to go for a walk all day … for when I walk, my thoughts tend to become clearer, allowing me to feel centered and see the poetry in the moment and in the world around me.  I tend to notice little things such as a lone leaf still clinging to the branches of a barren tree up ahead.  A droplet of water falling into a puddle at my feet may draw my attention to the reflection of a flag flying nearby.  On sunnier days, I may eagerly follow a butterfly playfully leading me on my path.  While walking, I am often reminded of how lucky I am to be following my personal legend…

What is one’s personal legend?  As stated in The Alchemist, “It’s what you have always wanted to accomplish.  Everyone, when they are young, knows what their personal legend is.  At that point in their lives, everything is clear and everything is possible.  They are not afraid to dream and to yearn for everything they would like to see happen to them in their lives.”  

But then reality and "life" happens and we tend to let our dreams fall by the wayside as we give in to external demands on our time and energies as well as other people's standards and expectations of success.  We tend to allow others to dictate what is important and allow them to convince us that our dreams are unattainable.  But remember ... those who truly love us will be there to support us and encourage us to strive harder to reach our goals.  They will not stand in our way as we follow our personal legend.  

Often fear sets in!  Fear of failure, of course,  for as grownups, we become aware of the risks and obstacles, and no one wants to make mistakes.  But we also find a  fear of success… What if we reach our goals and it wasn't what we had expected?  What if we are disappointed? What if we are truly successful?  What then?   How do we continue on once our goals have been reached?  We must find the courage to carry on despite our fears …    

Following one’s personal legend does not need to revolve around a major quest.  Following one’s personal legend simply means doing what makes you happy, fulfilling the things you long for in your heart.  Perhaps it is simply a mother finding joy in spending time with her kids, a farmer finding pride in watching his corn grow, or a writer finding just the right words to share in a poem or a blog.  While following a personal legend, we often feel one with the world, centered within ourselves and ready to give to the world around us.  

Now this evening, as I am nearly finished typing my blog, I stop for a moment to answer my daughter’s plea for my attention.  She is wondering if we can have a family movie night after supper.  I think it sounds like a good idea.  I call downstairs to Christian to see  if he has plans for the evening while Karissa begins to search for a good movie on Netflix.  Yes, I am happy to be following my personal legend, and I have truly learned that the treasure is indeed in the journey, the moments we share with the people we love; and my greatest treasures are right here at home!