November is upon us, and Fall has settled in with the crisp temperatures and dropping leaves. Another one of my favorite holidays is on the horizon, Thanksgiving. This is a sacred time and space to reflect on what I am grateful for. To be grateful for something is to feel with your whole heart a deep sense of thankfulness.
There was a time in my life when doing such undertakings was challenging. This was mainly because I felt separate from my spiritual source, whom I call Creator, when in fact I was not. It wasn’t until I solidified my inner life with Creator that the burdens I previous had were transformed into opportunities.
Gratitude is much more than the word itself. It involves emotion and conviction behind it. It is accepting and appreciating what you have instead of comparing your insides with others’ outsides. This latter habit can be challenging especially when we don’t see things we want in our life. The key is persistence because gratitude is an attitude that needs to be worked on daily.
I had to go deep to reach a place where I could understand the spiritual principles behind things. After much toiling, I could finally release nonlove feelings and beliefs and focus on love itself.
Many people have told me to be grateful for everything that comes my way, even if it doesn’t appear for my good. I keep an open heart to allow goodness to flow through me. Others have suggested that writing a daily gratitude list would help me align with the gratitude energy.
Gratitude is a concept that I had to think about for a long time before I could do it. At first, it seemed strange, but as I kept practicing, I became in tune with my inner self and was able to release the old fears that were lodged in my cells. Doing this keeps my mind off the events so I can remain in the center of peace.
In life, I must do things that I’d rather not be doing. Sometimes, these are unavoidable and need to be dealt with right now. As I practice gratitude, I can dive into these situations and get through them fearlessly. This year, October was a challenge for me in many ways. Staying focused on only positive things proved helpful as I marched through the situations. I can honestly say that things have shifted this past month and I am grateful that I could go with the flow. As you can see, this is a work in progress for me and many others.
This work has freed my soul from the negative energies that had kept me ‘hostage’ for too long. I am engaging more in my spiritual practices, including a few minutes of daily meditation. These days it is easier for me to find things I am grateful for and the concept fits neatly into my life.
My spiritual community is something I really cherish. Here I intermingle with other like-minded people and engage in activities that benefit everyone as a whole. I take part in where I can enhance the quality of life for all. Things such as picking up trash in my church’s neighborhood are something I can take pride in with my spirit and energy. Because of my physical strength, I have been able to plant plants on my church’s property. Doing service work is how I give back to our community all year long.
During the holiday season, it is easy for me to find ways to be of service. I feel such an appreciation for others who are in need. The season’s essence makes it easier for me to step out of my comfort zone and dive into something new. Because of the challenges I faced in October, I have grown spiritually; I am not bogged down with mental clutter. I can now be of service and spread my holiday cheer to others from my heart.
This Thanksgiving, we are helping with the holiday meal at our church. This is an event I am really looking forward to, and I can’t wait to share it with people I may not have seen in a while.
This new realization required me to continue in my spiritual practices. The practices keep me connected to Creator. A sense of freedom has come over me because I am allowing myself to walk along my path focused.
All of this is possible because I have gratitude for simple life now. I can look at the bigger picture and see where my role fits. I understand that not all reasons are skin deep and that others are on the spiritual level. This type of participation may seem subtle, but it is essential for all involved to be a unison, especially if decisions need to be made.
Instead of fighting situations, I now sit back and connect with Creator and mentally share my concerns. Recently, I have received positive answers such as I am in good hands when I have expressed my fears. I now can trust that all is going to work out positively.
A thing to remember is that there is no wrong way to do this spiritual practice. Creator will get the message either way. The key is to be consistent with it and use conviction when affirming.
There are no coincidences, and everything has a higher purpose to it. Nothing is by mistake in Creator’s eternal Universe. What was once seen as a challenge is now natural, as long as I keep holding Creator’s light.
More and more remarkable things have been coming my way, and I cannot wait to see what happens in 2023.
What are you all grateful for?