landing softly with a trickle-trickle sound as it travels through the downspout to the ground
Birds perched in the trees, chirp and rejoice as mother earth also welcomes the fresh water to nourish her parched parts beneath the lush green grass.
A Rain Day … I’ll take it
We didn’t have snow days this winter not even one, the first ever in my 50+ years of living the Appalachian Mountains, this will have to do.
And I, like the birds, grass and trees, welcome the sounds with open ears and an open heart to be still and listen.
There’s an expression I’ve heard or read: “Wherever you find yourself, therein be content.”
Today I have found myself in my little corner room, window open to hear and enjoy the sounds from the rain and birds and experience the wind as it gently blows across my cheek.
What have I learned? What have you learned? What would I like to learn?
It’s a BIG question.
My answer is this: to TRUST more .. LISTEN more to the soft Whisperer within (God/True Source) – to BELIEVE with my whole heart
Life is fleeting. I’ve endured much loss – friends, spouses, days and nights to worry or fright – only to realize shortly thereafter that there is no need to worry – no benefit – however, to TRUST, PRAY, LISTEN, OPEN my HEART to God/True Source’s guidance and BELIEVE all will be well , therein, I find my wish for ALL persons – CONTENTMENT
What does Contentment look like to me?
It’s realizing that ALL I need, ALL around me is ENOUGH and ENJOY every moment of…
Breath
Warm Water
Clean Water
Healthy food – my Green/Fruity/Nutty Shake in the mornings
ability to learn and practice Yoga
Legs that move and allow me to roam the Mountains I love so much
Conversing with the Trees
Taking Photographs of all that catches my eye
Enjoying the Light of sunrise and Moonrise
to listen and walk by the River’s edge
my Grandchildren
my Children
the gift of my spouse, Steve and his innate laughter and support
my Church family
my Alanon Family
my Telephone calls and walks with Friends
a Job with loving people
Moments found to create Art
the gift of my Parents, my Brothers, my Nieces and Nephews
Friends abroad, Friends on Facebook
Trees and Flowers of so many varieties in my back yard – and a Pond
Life is NOT all doom and gloom – it’s different
What I’m learning is to look with eyes open, ears and heart open, hands – open to what’s ALL around me and say Thank you!
As I said I’m learning – NOT perfect, nor, would I want to be.
Happy year of Contentment is my wish for ALL in this New Year!
Those who know me, know that I often refer to Gratitude.
You may ask How did you know or get introduced to GRATITUDE? While listening to Krista Tippett’s podcast On Being, early one Sunday morning, she was interviewing Brother David Steindl-Rast, Founder of Gratefulness.org . This podcast was such a pivotal moment in my life as he described so many things, people, experiences, sounds, sights, smells, he was grateful for. I am a contributor to Gratefulness.org through monetary donations and my Photography. The practice of Gratitude I continue today. When I feel stuck in a ‘funk’, and I can’t think of anything to be grateful for, I begin with the letter ‘A’ and list whatever I am grateful for that begins with that letter and proceed through the alphabet. It’s amazing what comes out. Here’s a list of late:
A = Alicia (my daughter), Art, Air, AFG, Apple Trees
B = Brothers, color Blue, Blue Berries, Books, Birds
C = Chocolate (Dark Chocolate), Church, Couch, Catholicism, Creating Collages, Crows, Camera
D = Dawn, Doves, Daffodils, Drawing
E = Elephants, Ears that hear, Eyes that See, Europe
F = Faith, Father, Friends, Family
G = God, color Green, Grayson, Greeting one another
H = Home, Hot water, Hiking, Hawks
I = Imagination, Irises
J = Jesus, Juicy Pears and Apples, Job, Joy
K = Katharina (a faithful friend), Kites, Kibbeh, Kayaaks, Kayak, Kelly
L = Love, the sound Laughter, Lincoln
M = Mom, Memory, Mountains
N = Nandina, Notecards
O = Ocean waves and sound, Oxygen, Oranges, Orchids
P = Patience, Prayer, Pink Tulips, Peruvian Lilies, Photography, Pencils, Pens, Paper, Pope Francis
Q = Quiet moments, Quilts
R = Rest, Richard (son), Red Poppies, Robins
S = Steve (husband and friend), Sailing, Swimming, Seeing Smiles again
T = Trees (all kinds- Oaks, Redbuds, Weeping Willows, Dogwoods, Beech Trees), Today, Travels
Called to Write 