( Painting/PX by Artist Errol Jameson)

Dear Reader:

A few days ago I read one of the articles from Awakin Weekly..titled “Grateful for Nothing.” (Now that is a phrase catcher that will draw one to the explanation behind it.)

I usually compose an excerpt from one of these articles that touch me…but this particular message just hit a home run for me…the entire message. See if you feel the same way…I loved it.

“If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance your life is relatively safe — so safe that safety isn’t on your mind. So when nothing happens, you don’t feel particularly grateful. You expect to be safe, just as you expect the light to go on when you hit the switch on the wall. But when you expect to die or you expect your home to be destroyed, “nothing happened” is a miracle.

That’s our challenge: to allow our hearts and minds to be touched by gratitude without the presence of a hurricane. To appreciate life and the grace by which we wake up each day and go to sleep in safety. To recognize that our personal safety is a gift and something we have little control over. We may survive a hurricane and have a heart attack the next day.

*Our lives are all hanging by a thread. It makes us nervous to think about it, so we try not to. But that thread has held us up since we were born. And once in a while it’s good to notice it so we can be thankful for it.

“Nothing happened” isn’t particularly exciting. It’s not as entertaining as a good movie. It’s not intellectually challenging, nor is it adorable like a baby kitten.  But when you expect the worst and nothing happens, it’s worthy of celebration.

A celebration of the fact that despite all of our problems and aches and pains and financial challenges and relationship conflicts we’re alive and we’re breathing and at the moment, we’re safe.

So take a moment and sit back. And breathe in “nothing happened.” And breathe out a breath of thanks. Gratitude for just being able to breathe. Now that’s really something!”

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

A wonderful surprise awaited me as I read some of the responses to this article by familiar names I see weekly …BUT this time there was another responder by the name of Ambika... I am thinking she must be “our” beloved Ambika for whom we pray daily (for her and her family and all the people of India stricken by this terrible drought.) Ambika’s response to this article was:

Every morning before i open my eyes to the day, i consecrate the day to my highest self. The rest of the day flows…..every moment with my master’s name on my lips. When my eyes close for the day i just say” Thank you Sai for this beautiful day”. A lot of stuff happens during the day. The good, the bad and the ugly. Each moment with HIS name on my lips.
After reading the article i get it that my days have been in gratitude. Reading this article…assimilating the truth and being able to respond… is this not a miracle ? This is a wake up realization.

So until tomorrow…Let me breathe in and out the miracle of life by the simple procedure of breathing…beautiful, life fulfilling breathing!I am alive!!!

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

Another gorgeous evening last night and now recognition of the gift of safety in Boo’s Blessing…her beloved home!