“Practicing mindfulness of gratitude consistently leads to a direct experience of being connected to life and the realization that there is a larger context in which your personal story is unfolding. Being relieved of the endless wants and worries of your life’s drama, even temporarily, is liberating. Cultivating thankfulness for being part of life blossoms into a feeling of being blessed, not in the sense of winning the lottery, but in a more refined appreciation for the interdependent nature of life.” ~~ Philipp Moffitt
The interdependent nature of life … we need each other. And so today I am most thankful for the opportunity to get away for a day … spending the past 24 hours with dear friends!
We work in the same line of business … our jobs have the potential for isolation and stress. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the individual dramas of our lives. We work long hours … care deeply for our work … desire to make a difference in the lives of children and adults that we lead.
We get tired … sometimes we get discouraged … and often we are overwhelmed. We know we need each other.
And so we stepped away last night, today … to visit, fellowship, enjoy good food, to laugh, to share stories, to get to know one another better.
I am grateful for our retreat … for the synergy … the camaraderie. Proverbs 27:17 says, “You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another.” So true – our interactions were refreshing, invigorating, edifying!
I’m grateful for the gifts that these women possess, gifts similar to mine … yet different. I’m grateful for our unique appointment in life … our jobs, our place in time and history … I’m grateful that we have the potential, the opportunity to do well … to fulfill our purpose in life in this moment of time.
I’m also thankful today for abundance … for the wherewithal to get away, for the well-appointed shelter, for the freedom to travel.
I have so much for which to be thankful … amazingly blessed!
