My dad was a minister of a fundamentalist church so he was against dancing. He was against dancing because, during his generation, he felt it would lead to “problems” when dating, although before he became a paster he won dance contests (Charleston etc.) and was a wild guy. This photo captures the love between my parents during their twilight years in privacy. I am so happy I have this photo.
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My sincere thanks to YOU for reading these posts. Today, let’s focus on a “gratitude zero” activity… wearing a mask. There is a lot of conversation these days about “masks”. People are tired of the pandemic, lock downs, separation from friends and families. It is sometimes difficult to remember to bring a mask. I have masks in my purse, my car, in shopping bags, and next to gloves when I put gas in the car. I have extra masks for my family and friends who forget their masks when running out the door to run an errand, or grab something to eat (take out).
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In an earlier post (Your Choice: Gratitude Zero, Gratitude Lite, or Gratitude Ultra) I ended by suggesting we were going to take a “deep gratitude soak” into the depths of the spectrum of gratitude waters. So I went to dreamstime.com to search for open source photos of “soaking in water”. At that site I found beautiful photos of people soaking in pools, in tubs, in the ocean, lakes, and so forth. I also found animals soaking in the waters or the sun, as well as people soaking their hands or feet, and soaking vegetables before cooking, or putting Easter eggs in water to color the eggs. Some of the photos were so unique that I place them within this post for your review and enjoyment.
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Recently, I camped at the Hollywood RV Park in Los Angeles. An artist painted beautiful tributes to the Wizard of OZ throughout the park. This morning, I wonder where the yellow brick road will take you?
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This is my 32nd post on gratitude, and we have learned so much. To the extent to which you want to practice gratitude, I invite you to consider the various pathways from which you may select your “state of gratitude”. I borrow labels for your choices from current soft drinks, political strategists, podcasts, and traditional print literatures.
Gratitude may be expressed at any point along a continuum. In my post “What Money Can’t Buy”, I discussed intentional acts from sporadically grateful to always grateful. Thus, imagine a horizontal line from left to right with little markings (like on a ruler) to indicate your “extent of gratitude”.
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I always say that whenever people decided to domesticate dogs from the wolf, it was a brilliant idea! People say that “dog” is “God” spelled backwards and I believe it. Dogs are such good companions to us, our children, to the elderly, to persons in prison, individuals who are ill or are physically challenged. Pets, in general, offer such a wonderful addition to our lives, and contribute to us in many different ways.
I found it interesting to learn that approximately 76% of all households own a pet in comparison to 28% of households (married and single-parent) have children, or 85 million have pets and 35 million have children. In 2017, one (1) billion dollars was spent on private health insurance for pets. Trends in pet dogs is the expansion of the family to include dogs within our everyday activities, routines, and lifestyles.
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This morning I woke to bright sunshine. It surprised me so early in the morning as typically the sun begins to shine around 10 a.m. As my morning routine began with a glance at my computer, I found something perfect for today!
Nature Deficit Disorder
What made this phrase so perfect is because I suspect that many of you in Texas, on the East coast, and Canada are experiencing this disorder just about this time of year (February) with the tough winter you have had. The dark, gloomy, cold, chilling winter has given you all a “nature deficit disorder”.
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I like to think about gratitude as a “state of being”, but I am searching to learn how to keep myself in that “state” throughout the days and weeks. On tennessean.com I found an opinion piece by Bishop Joseph W. Walker III about gratitude. One particular point he made was:
Add up the things in your life that money cannot buy.
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My son gave me a cute little pocket gratitude journal from Pockitudes. It was perfect timing for his gift because this last week of February 2021seems full of strife: women in my local book club are stressed, the warranty for my new touring coach seems to be worthless, and my little Cockapoo had to go to the Vet. It seemed really hard to express joy and gratitude to you today! Thankfully, I found something to tell you!
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Today is a day of remembrance of the more than 500,000 precious lives lost from the ongoing pandemic in the USA. Let us take a moment of silence to remember each of those individuals as well as their families and friends who have died.
My mother was a poet and one of my favorite of her poems was about death, because it is really not about dying but about life and a future. I share it with you now to give you comfort and peace for your loved ones.
This Is Not Goodbye My Dear
This is not goodbye, my dear,
That body of clay I’ve left it here.
To live in the celestial Heaven above,
Where all is peace and joy and love.
I’ll speak to you through the stars at night.
I’ll glitter and twinkle and you’ll know I’m alright.
I’ll speak to you through those drops of rain.
I’ll speak this way again and again.
I’ll speak to you through the falling snow
I’ll touch you gently and then you’ll know.
That love’s a bond that can’t be broken,
The snow flake, the rain drop, will be our token.
I’ll speak to you through the song of the bird,
In a song, a language like you’ve never heard.
I’ll speak to you through the stormy night,
Through the thunder roar and the streaks of light.
I’ll speak to you through the baby coo.
A message dear, just for you.
I’ll see in your eye that tiny tear,
Remember, my love, I’m really near.
God changed my body to another form,
His way is right have no alarm.
He changed my body from a house of clay,
To a glorified one where I’ll live fore aye.
In that rain, that snow, and those stars in the sky,
I take many forms, but I did not die.
For life’s dimension is unending,
This is not the end,
Just a grand beginning.
© Marian E. Blake
My mother was a minister too and wrote many comforting poems for members in her churches. For other poems to honor and remember your loved ones, please see her poetry below. Peace be with you on this day and always.
Huer, M.B. (2013) A House Inside of Me Poetry by Marian Elsie Blake. Huer LLC, pp. 104-105.
A House Inside of Me is available on Amazon.com
This is #gratitudelite. See the post on February 28, 2021 for definitions of gratitude categories.
Gratitude Squared 