Gratitude Journal

I’m en route to another retreat in a few hours, this one a Jesuit retreat based in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Along with these retreats and simply being back in Montana, here are some things to be grateful for in my life (we have an S-theme):

Sunshine – It has been a rainy week here in Montana, making the periods of sunshine all the more precious and warm. As a frequent sufferer of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), the sun has a powerful effect on my moods and life. In a sense though, that too is a blessing, as it keeps me in touch with the ebb and flow of nature’s seasons.
Silly Things – Good friends in tutus, tiaras, and turquoise hair; Dalai Lamas in graduation gowns…. My retreat last weekend was filled with bouts of spontaneous and often silly laughter, like opening a door to lightness in me that had been closed. Now I am finding more and more to just laugh about in life.
Simplicity – After chasing so many wonderful things in life, only to be worn down with exhaustion, it feels amazingly right to simply sit with what is. Yes, what I have fails to measure up to some people’s judgments, but it’s what I have 🙂 And yes, being part of that eternal rat race has its place, but I know too well that in that race we can lose sight of the realities of love, generosity, and grace that make life worth living.
Suffering – Yes, suffering. Life is an ongoing balancing act. When I’m far enough out of balance, suffering kicks in to let me know 🙂 I may not appreciate it much at the time, but looking back I can always say, “thanks, suffering, for bringing me out of that unhealthy cycle or situation.” The job then, as always, is to learn from suffering and grow.
Spiritual Friends, kalyana-mitras – In addition to many other friends who have shared in my joys and helped me through hard times, I have had the great fortune to develop an ever-growing community of people whose primary concern for me is on the spiritual level. They ask great questions like, “what is your bliss, and are you following it?” “What is your relationship to contentment?” and “Why aren’t you out having fun right now?”

Speaking of which, the sun is shining 🙂