May we be blessed to acknowledge all the wonders in our life
that have, for us, thus far accrued…
and to begin each day with a word of thanks…
and thoughts of gratitude.
Today I’m thankful for the birds
and the messages about life they bring…
Like how they’re not afraid of the branch they’re on breaking
because their trust is not in the branch
their trust is in their wings
When the winds of the hurricane began to blow…accompanied by the rain…
I remember standing outside and wondering…where do birds go in a hurricane?
Once they sense the storm approaching…do they have time to get away?
When birds feel anxious and afraid…I wonder…do they pray.
How do they find a protected place to keep their families safe and warm?
Where is it they fly…seeking shelter from the storm?
After the storm do they peek their heads out…to have a look around?
Do they make sure their nest is still standing…that their friends are safe and sound?
Are the dreams they once had still alive or have they, by the storm, been killed?
Will they decide to fly away…find a new home…or stay here and rebuild?
Once saddened by the devastation…for those birds who lost everything…
will this forever influence who they are and the songs they choose to sing?
When the winds finally stopped blowing…and the sun replaced the rain…
I thought: there’s so much we have in common…
with the birds
in a hurricane.
May we be blessed to acknowledge all the wonders in our life
that have, for us, thus far accrued…
and to begin each day with a word of thanks…
and thoughts of gratitude.
Today I’m thankful for love letters…for the feeling that ignites them…
and to philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau
for an easy guide on how to write them…
(My apologies to Mr. Rousseau who I’m paraphrasing here)
He said:
to write the perfect love letter
one that will forever endear…
You begin by knowing exactly what you want to write…
How, with love you are truly smitten…
but you finish that perfect love letter…
without knowing what you’ve written.
If you have people in life whom you love…I suggest you find a way….
to tell them that you love them…a little…every day.
There are a myriad of ways to say ‘I love you’…
whether you love a him…or her
But, for me, two ways stand out above the rest
these are the two ways I prefer.
The first is in a love letter…
although I am partial to the French word billet-doux
It’s when I sit down and take the time to write of my love for you.
Because when I write you a love letter…
once you receive my billet-doux
I hope, like my love, you will keep it forever…and it will grow old with you.
And every time you run across it…
you’ll smile
you’ll feel a fresh surprise…
as you read the words I’ve written…meant only for your eyes.
The second way I prefer to say ‘I love you’ is to whisper the words in your ear
when the two of us are so close together…only you, alone, can hear.
For the magic of that whisper is how it travels directly to your heart…
and then…
all you have to do is close your eyes…
to hear my words again.
So here’s hoping you’ll be doubly blessed today…
to give and receive the words I love you…
loud and clear
either in the form of a billet-doux…
or whispered in an ear.
May we be blessed to acknowledge all the wonders in our life
that have, for us, thus far accrued…
and to begin each day with a word of thanks…
and thoughts of gratitude.
Today I’m thankful for creativity…
Creativity is in all of us…
each and every one…
as Albert Einstein said:
Creativity is intelligence…
just out having fun
They asked the old poet why he loved to rhyme, the old artist why painting she chose…
They asked the old dancer why he loved to dance, the old musician why she loved to compose.
They were surprised after asking the question how all their answers were the same.
They didn’t create for fame or fortune…the didn’t do it for acclaim.
In each artist’s mind, once asked, they felt without a doubt…
the words, the music, the dance, the paintings were already inside them
waiting to get out.
Once the poet opens her mind, her heart and her soul she loses track of time
and as she begins to write…her words begin to rhyme.
Once the painter opens his mind, his heart and his soul he can feel his creativity grow
and as he begins to paint…the colors know where they should go.
Once the dancer opens her mind, her heart and her soul she seems to have a flair
and though her mind begins the dance…her body takes over from there
Once the musician opens his mind, his heart and his soul which, by now you may have gathered is the key
as he begins to write his notes…they find their own harmony.
Could these artists be correct…for they all seem to agree
their art dwells inside of them…waiting to be set free.
And if art inside each of each and every artists dwells
Is if possible that art lives in us as well?
Perhaps inside all of us is inspiration, imagination, and a creativity
waiting to be let out…waiting to be set free.
And if we open up our heart, open up our soul, and open up our mind
I wonder, inside each of us…what kind of artistry we’ll find.
May we be blessed to acknowledge all the wonders in our life
that have, for us, thus far accrued…
and to begin each day with a word of thanks…
and thoughts of gratitude.
Today I’m thankful for family…
because without them I am sure
we would not be who we are…
if they were not who they were
Our family came together again yesterday, (which is the reason for this poem)
and, as is our tradition, we took a family portrait before everyone headed home.
Why do we take so many family portraits….it’s quite simple to explain…
because no matter how many family portraits we take…no two portraits are the same.
Every time our family walks out and then back in through our front door
we’ve all changed a little bit…from the portrait we took before.
Sometimes those changes are obvious…the photo captures a singular time and space
new clothes, new glasses, new hairstyles…is that another wrinkle on my face?
Often, however, the changes are more subtle and only our heart is reawakened…
to the metamorphosis each family member has experienced
since the last portrait was taken.
Which is why I pause as I look at each new family portrait…pausing is a must…
It gives my eyes a chance to see the smiles…the changes…
and my heart time to adjust.
I imagine the reason we take so many family portraits
so many times throughout the year
is to remind everyone that whatever changes we go through…
your family’s still here.
Which is why when our family comes together…
even for a little while….
there will be a moment…
sometime in the evening….
when they’ll be asked to SMILE!
May we be blessed to acknowledge all the wonders in our life
that have, for us, thus far accrued…
and to begin each day with a word of thanks…
and thoughts of gratitude.
Today I’m thankful for a child’s eyes…
how they see joy and miracles everywhere they go
and pray we’re blessed never to lose our child eyes…
no matter how old we grow.
How lucky am I to be surrounded by miracles…where every day is a surprise…
and when I want to be reminded of this…all I have to do is look into a baby’s eyes.
In a world that too often seems riddled with hate, pain, death and strife…
looking into a baby’s eyes reminds me of the miracle of life.
It’s not only the way a baby looks out at me that makes my heart begin to spin…
It’s also all the things I see…when I am looking in.
In a baby’s eyes I am constantly amazed at all the miraculous things I see…
I see magic, I see beauty…I see innocence and purity.
I see wonder, strength and courage as my gaze they happily return…
I see wisdom, curiosity…and a willingness to learn.
I see eyes that will grow wiser with knowledge absorbed throughout the years.
I see a lifetime filled with joy and laughter…and a sprinkling of tears.
In their eyes I see a future…just beginning…it oftentimes makes me numb…
as I see all the possibilities and the promise of the miracles yet to come.
As I look into their eyes and see this vague but grand design….
I wonder what they’re thinking…when their eyes look into mine.
I hope when babies look at me…when into my eyes they stare…
they will always find love and kindness and acceptance waiting for them there.
If they can find these in all they eyes they see as each day they continue to grow…
It will prove a comfort to them wherever in life they go.
And perhaps when they want to be reminded of miracles…
They’ll know not to search the heavens…
or the skies
they just have to find the nearest baby…
and look into their eyes.
