Category Archives: Joy

Spiritual Preparedness

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Well, the Thanksgiving holiday is over, it’s December 1st, and holiday preparations are on full throttle!

We’ve gone from a morning where it looked like few of the Wyer family would be together during Christmastime, to this evening’s exciting news of folks coming in from parts west of here. I’m really looking forward to the holiday and getting to better know Rog’s immediate family. It’s going to be fun, fun, fun – and busy, busy, busy!

So, am I ready for another blast of entertaining and activity? Will I take good care of my soul amid the flurry of activity, expectations, preparation, etc.? Yes, yes, yes! I really want to be present and enjoy the time.

I am not much fun or of great use to anyone else if I do not take good care of me, and socializing becomes a not so joyful time. Thanksgiving experiences and insights are still ripe in my memory. To experience the joy of the upcoming season, I will take time to b-r-e-a-t-h-e. The breath is so in the moment, a relaxing foray into peace and connection with Spirit.

As I make plans for our company, so too I will make plans for my spiritual being, both worthy of my love, kindness, and caring attention.

About Gratitude

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When I was a devout atheist, I felt there was no one to be thankful to. That changed as soon as I came to believe in a power greater than myself. I’m grateful for that, for walking into the rooms of a 12 Step program, which led me to the most important thing in my life: God, as I understand God.

This week is one that I particularly pause to give thought to gratitude.

So it was no surprise (at least not to me, the facilitator 🙂 ) that at last night’s meeting of the Gilbert Spirituality Meetup group, the topic was Gratitude. The shared stories were “inspirational” as one member put it. Yes, indeed.

When a father can get down on his knees after his son has died and the first words out of his mouth are “I am grateful…for the time You gave me with my child” that is inspiring. Recalling that this man, in his darkest hour, offered thanks to God and not venom, will get me back on track when I’m feeling less than grateful because of some minor occurrence that threw me into a tizzy.

Another member made a point of saying that even if you do have negative thoughts but have a semblance of gratitude, your energy vibrates at a higher frequency. That will get the spiral headed upward towards positivity.

I was reminded that every moment is a moment in which I can choose to be grateful. Every moment is unique, will not be repeated ever again, and hence is a sole/soul(!) opportunity to be seized and savored. The expression “Wake up and smell the roses” came to mind.

When I feel gratitude, my heart is full and I am oftimes moved to tears, tears of joy. When Rog expressed a connection between gratitude and joy, I realized he was right. He expounds upon this in his book Choosing Joy at Work.

Speaking of work, we can sometimes be self-conscious about expressing appreciation of others to those folks, especially in a business setting. What a stark indicator of our increased separation from our fellows with whom we are One. This group member was going to go ahead anyway and be her authentic, expressive, appreciative self. Yes!

When I surround myself with people who not only feel grateful, but express it – like at last night’s meeting – I feel uplifted. And, for that I am grateful.