Mind, Body, Spirit Connections

Monday, March 7, 2011

March 7, 2011

Gratitude~

I am so thankful for the people who flow in and out of my life. And I thank you, Joy, for not being "shy" and for your lovely comment. Lee, for your email and support, and the cards and emails from friends who are sending prayers. I find it is the "little' things in life that can often wipe away exhaustion, or bring an instant smile.

I worked in non-profit for thirty years; in the trenches, and in upper management. When you are in the business of human suffering, you learn to watch for and embrace the little miracles-- the small steps forward, the strength and grace of the human spirit as it shines forth in the face of tragedy, illness, and death. Over the years, I have learned more from the desperately poor in Appalachia, the mentally challenged and mentally ill, the sexually abused teens, the Mexican migrant farm workers, the poor, uneducated, unemployed, single mother's, the patients and families of Alzheimer's, and in Hospice than I ever could have imagined possible.

It has always been a puzzle to me that when we are at our worst -- most desperate, beleaguered, and challenged in all ways possible -- that we also discover our most precious gifts; humor, humility, compassion, and a sense of peace. Our ability to understand the mysterious and unknown within sheds a new light of awareness on what we truly value in ourselves and in others.

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