Category Archives: Nature

11/22/12

Inspired Action: Holy Flowing Gratitude

Thanksgiving Day, 2012

Smile. Feel the softness of your heart. It changes everything.

In those moments when you forget it’s always a Day of Thanksgiving,
and you feel the burnt edges of life’s disappointments
crusting over the softness of your heart,
when you forget how amazing you and your life
and the people you love and this earth really are,
choose.

Choose, as hard as it may be, as soon as you notice,
to go to your grateful space and breathe.
Breathe in thank you. Breathe out thank you. Smile. Over and over.
Eventually, this holy flowing gratitude will wash over you
like waves cresting in the ocean. And you will feel blessed.

Really. It will. You will. I promise. If you will try.
Just try. Right now.

See. It worked didn’t it?
Feels good, doesn’t it?

What, no luck?
Well, not to sound like that overly-critical, annoying know-it-all
you’re trying to be grateful for,
which is why you’re even trying this in the first place,
but you know you didn’t do it long enough.
Must have some heavy lifting in there. Sorry.

Go back and do it again. And relax. It will work.

I know, you’re right, it may take longer than you like,
but if you keep trying, gratitude will arrive
and the relief you feel when it washes over you
will land you in such a deep state of grace
that tears of joy might even join your party.
Long forgotten memories, people you love,
happy places, recaptured dreams
will begin to flow back into you.

Smile. Feel the softness of your heart. It changes everything.

Happy Thanksgiving.
Love, Mary

09/5/12

Boogie Boards, Wetsuits, and the Magic of Friendship

What do you do to bring yourself into a peaceful inspired space when you’ve had a challenging day? Glass of wine in front of the TV? Nap before dinner? Meditate to music? Go for a run or walk?

Yesterday I had a very early start to a very long and rewarding day of communication training with 300 high school district support staff. Mixed in between the hours of engaging their minds with my own were worries about upcoming projects, finances, potential changes with housemates, the elections, a friend’s health issues, my 13 year old cat’s skin allergies, and trite as it seems in comparison to the rest of the world’s hardships and tragedies, I wondered whether I’d have the energy to meet friends at the end of the day for previously planned boogie boarding at Del Mar Beach. I know. I’m so blessed to even have that problem and yet, sometimes it’s seems way too hard to remember that.

My half hour drive home in traffic added another opportunity to slip into a numbing state when I got to the front door rather than exercise and connect but three boogie boards and wetsuits that had been borrowed from a friend and had been sitting in my car for a week kept me going. Actually it wasn’t the boards or wetsuits, it was the person they belonged to and the people who would be using them, and the comfort, joy, and calm I feel in their presence and even better, with them at the ocean. I got in the car and drove another 15 minutes to the beach, grateful for the $4.29 a gallon gas in the car and the priceless gas in my spirit.

We didn’t end up boogie boarding after all, but we did talk and walk along the beach and were gifted with one of the most beautiful sunsets ever. Even my Nikon Coolpix camera with the drained battery held out for me and I was able to snap a few magical photographs and be reminded again of the power of friends and nature to create energy and inspire peace. Wishing that for you too, and the world.