I awoke feeling a bit grumpy. My eyes are bothering me, and I gave way to the fear that I may be losing my sight. But then I went outside for a walk and suddenly I was infused with gratitude, a gratitude that welled up inside and spilled over in thank yous to God. Our surroundings here in Adams County are so beautiful. Everything is so green and lush, flowers abundant, trees gracing and shading yards, the hillsides a dusky bluish green now that some of the haze has lifted. On top of that, the weather has been cooler, and it is simply delightful to be outside. My soul simply burst into song.
I hadn’t intended to write about gratitude this morning, but here I am. I realized as I walked and thanked God for this amazing morning that I need to keep myself in the now. If I lose my sight sometime in the future, so be it, but today I can see, I can luxuriate in the beauty around me. Some days I can read small print, and when those days come, I take advantage of that. Other days, I use large print or spend my time upstairs sewing quilts for Project Linus.
Those days when I feel a bit wonky, well, those are not everyday, and even if they are, I am still alive, able to enjoy having my granddaughter with me, my daughter close, knowing my other children and their families are well and happy. I have my little church community, and I am in the process of developing a really nice friendship with two neighbors. Yes, there is a lot wrong with the world, but I can’t change that, so I will do what I can to make my community a bit kinder and more tolerant. Having reached this ripe old age, I am determined to enjoy each day and thank the good Lord for this amazing world he has given us.
I am grateful for my faith in this great mystery we call life. I am grateful that I grew up in a family where I was encouraged to ask the hard questions and to push the boundaries. I am grateful that our church community has been an open and tolerant one, that it has truly been a welcoming one, not placing barriers in the way as if some aren’t the right color skin or sexual orientation. I am thankful that I went to a seminary that helped me expand my understanding of the Bible and faith and exposed me to books and authors that blew open the windows of my mind. I am thankful that, as I’ve aged, I’ve been able to let go of those restrictions that haunted me when I was younger. Most of all, I am grateful that this morning I truly feel as if I am lifted up on an eagle’s wings and rest in the palm of the hand of the Great I Am.