The hardest arithmetic

I love arithmetic and I love numbers.  As a Kindergarten  and Grade 1 teacher I would teach the children to count anything and everything:  buttons, cubes, shapes, crayons - whatever was handy.  However I don 't remember teaching them to count their blessings.  Of course I taught them to say "please" and " thank you". , but to recognize all the blessings they had was absent from the curriculum, aside from Thanksgiving Day.

Today I am a "little under the weather "  with an upset stomach and headache, so it is a perfect time to stop feeling miserable and acknowledge all the good things in my life.  Here are just a few.

I am grateful for:
1.  my son who has a generous heart and  makes me laugh
2.  my mother who supported me through all the years
3.  my dog who is getting old but who is always upbeat and  ready for an adventure.

I am grateful for:
4.  my garden,with the lovely flowers
5.  the tomatoes that I can pick straight from the vine, all warm and tasty from the afternoon sun
6.  the trickle of water from my pond which  invites birds and squirrels to visit.

I am grateful for:
7.  my extended family and friends  - for the  love and support they give me
8.  my fellow meditators  who join me in the silence and  help me stay on track
9.  my colleagues that helped and shared in the work load.

The list could go on and on...

 And finally
10.  I am grateful for the fact that I  live in a country where I can buy medicine to make my stomach feel better!

In gratitude for my many blessings, too numerous to count
Marg

Einstein : two ways to live

Yesterday was  busy day and quite windy.  I have had  headaches off and on for the past 2 days.    I hadn't yet walked the dog and looked out the window  in my home office and saw the most amazing sunset. I got the collar and leash and my dog and I walked out into the sky ablaze with gold, pink and red clouds.  The wind had died down and it was absolutely calm.  My dog and I changed our normal route to be able to walk towards the sunset.  Roof lines and trees were silhouetted against the ever deepening colours of the sky.  It was so calm, so still - a magical  experience.   I wondered how many people witnessed this beauty - how many were hunched over a computer screen ( as was I) or glued to the TV, oblivious to the show of beauty outside. Our life is full of  beauty and magic, if only we take the time to see,  if only we have eyes to see.  I felt in awe of this wonderful display, in awe of the beauty  and stillness . Albert Einstein once said: "there are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a  miracle". I choose the latter  -  to live  and witness  the miracles that abound in my daily life.

In gratitude for the awesome power and  beauty  of our universe,
Marg

Trees- silent sentinels of stillness

     Today I thought I would express my gratitude for trees. The picture above was taken while I was on retreat and I was drawn to this tree's beauty and grandeur. I was fascinated by this tree - it is such a metaphor for life.  It stands tall and strong with the roots searching deep into the earth. The branches  sway with the wind, but the trunk stays steadfast.
   Trees not only provide beauty especially, with the change of seasons, they  also provide cooling shade on a hot afternoon and protection from the cold winds in the winter.  We get heat, paper and furniture from trees.  They purify the air and keep the topsoil in place. Home for birds, squirrels and insects of all sorts, trees  provide food and protection for the animals.  Without trees I wouldn't experience the joy of birds chirping in the early morning, of squirrels chattering above.  Tress make  my city world come alive with nature.  They  purify the air, keep topsoil in place - the list goes on.
     I think of trees as silent sentinels of stillness -  they stand tall and still as generations of children play under them, lean on them, as generations of adults walk by them in their busy-ness,  often not even aware of the tree's beauty.  Trees give us so much - today I would like to acknowledge and be grateful for all that trees give us .  As I go for a walk with my dog today, I will try to be aware of that still presence of trees as I walk under their arching branches.

In gratitude for the beauty of  trees and all that they give,
Margaret

Beauty and power of the wliderness

This  past weekend I spent time  in the wilderness with 6  other women.   In the evening we stayed in cabins, but during the day we  swam, hiked  and shared our stories and souls over campfires and wonderful meals.  The pristine wilderness and beauty of  this immense lake inspires awe and reverence - reverence  for the immensity,  power,  and timelessness  of it all.  These waves have been crashing on this shore for eons.  These waves have deposited millions of pebbles of all shapes, sizes and textures  over more years than I can possibly imagine.  Such immense power!  I am grateful for this stark beauty of my region, for the immense power of our lake and so thankful to have friends to share  the wonderful experience. 

In gratitude for it all,
Marg

The joy of caneoing

Yesterday a friend and I went for a short canoe excursion on a local lake.  I have always loved caneoing, but have only paddled a canoe a few times in my life.  I am so grateful for the wonderful day: sunny skies, warm temperatures and fantastic scenery.  I loved it all!  From the choppy, rough  waters in the middle of the lake  to the calm waters filled with reeds as we approached the shore.   The rhythm of the paddle dipping and gliding through the water. The sight and sounds of birds soaring in the sky and calling to each other.  Loons rushing up from the water as we approached them.  A fresh and at times brisk breeze kept me cool.  The peace and tranquillity of nature and deep blue waters is hard to describe.  In the moment, feeling so alive, energized and exhilarated.  It doesn't get much better than this.

In gratitude for the wonders of nature  and for the friend who generously shared  his  canoe.
Marg

Could haves, should haves, would haves

I have come to realize that these 3 words or phrases (could'ves, should'ves, would'ves) are what blocks feelings of gratitude and ultimately my happiness.  I have spent so much of my life in my  head, analyzing what I or someone else should have done differently; thinking about what could have happened if I had done something differently;  thinking about what would or could happen in the future if I did this or that.  All this head stuff takes me away from the enjoyment of the  present moment. All this thinking about the past, and how it could have been different means I am passing a judgement, and a negative one, about the reality of the past.  And what does this serve?  It sows seeds of discontent, of wishing things were otherwise...certainly not seeds of gratitude.   As Byron Katie in "Loving What Is"  states: "These are only thoughts that we impose onto reality".  She later goes on to state: "And I came to embrace  reality with all my  heart.  I love the world, without any conditions."

My teacher once said that every experience we have had, was necessary to bring us to where we are now, in the present moment. My task now is to stop the  "could'ves, should'ves, would'ves", to get out of my head and appreciate the present moment  and the rich experience that it  brings - to celebrate the joyous moments and to accept and allow the unfolding of those that may be painful.  This is reality - nothing I can do in my head can change what has transpired...all it can do is make me miserable and ungrateful for all that is.

In gratitude for the beauty of the present moment,
Marg

Man without limbs

 “If you can't get a miracle, become one.”Nick Vujicic "Life Without limits"

 Today I thought I would share an amazing , inspirational video with you.  This man  was born with no legs or arms.  He suffered tremendous ridicule when he was young.  The "man without limbs" shows a zest and passion for life, overcoming all obstacles.  He is grateful for his life, he has a purpose, he radiates joy.  His eyes speak volumes.  Makes me think to be grateful for my body - with all its parts intact.  Poor vision  and all the assorted lumps and bumps,  seem insignificant after viewing this video.  It is a bit long, but well worth it. Nick embodies living in the moment, embracing  life  with all its challenges.  Certainly no "poor me" or victim mentality here!  A lesson we could all learn - and our lives would be so much richer.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/da5QQSxSsGY

In gratitude for my body that  works tirelessly day after day,
Marg