(not necessarily in that order)
Today, on International Women’s Day, I celebrate all the strong, determined, visionary, committed women whose struggles — over many years — made life better for the women of today.
And I pray not to fall into complacency or take those gains for granted.
Feeling so grateful to all the great souls who helped make both the Inner Renewal and Kriyaban Retreats so powerfully inspiring and incredibly deep.
I don’t love how huge and all-pervasive Amazon is as a business, but tonight I’m feeling really grateful for their service.
I get so busy during the holiday season that I tend to forget little details like — “what the heck am I going to wear for the Christmas concert?!?”
It’s not like when I lived in San Francisco or Palo Alto or Los Angeles, with multiple options within minutes. I mean, we live in the boonies — thirty minutes outside of Nevada City!
Our “big” city is Grass Valley (where there’s JC Penny and a new — but very small — Target). Or we can drive an hour to Auburn (where there’s a big Target and a Ross Dress for Less). An hour and a half drive will get us to Roseville and big shopping malls, but I dislike shopping at malls in general and especially at Christmas time!
Besides, at this time of year I don’t have time to spend hours driving to stores, hoping they’ll have the style, color, and size I need. So, when I suddenly realized I had nothing to wear just over a week before the concert I turned to Amazon.
And as of today I have in hand three blouses and one black skirt, and I can relax knowing that at least one blouse is going to work well.
So, thanks, Amazon. I appreciate it.
Turns out there is, indeed, some real astrological weather going on. It’s too late to get into it tonight but I’ll share more tomorrow.
For now, I’m grateful to know it wasn’t just my imagination.
My seclusion has ended and I’m back in the flow of life’s busyness.
But I spent a good portion of a week in silence, by myself, meditating, seeing beauty around me on my walks, enjoying every quiet moment…and I’m going to do my best to carry that peace into my daily life.
For tonight, I’m just really grateful.
I’m rather glad to see this week come to an end.
I’ve felt by turns strange, challenged, frustrated, confused, irritated, stuck, angry, you name it.
Of course, there were pleasant, joyful moments in the mix as well; it’s just that they seemed rather outnumbered.
Oh well, all things — good and less-than-good — come to an end. For which I’m feeling quite grateful at the moment.
Perspective truly is everything, isn’t it?
I mean, from the perspective of the present moment I’m really — and I mean really — glad that we made the decision to stay home this fall.
I say that largely because all the rest of our music team members are in the midst of flux and change and challenge right now.
From an imminent knee surgery to helping an elderly parent move to a new state, and from touring Europe with Asha to an extended visit to India…there’s going to be a whole lot of coming and going!
So, I’m grateful and content to help hold down the fort for a change.
Many thanks to our friend, Ram, for this gorgeous photo of a lotus taken at one of the ponds here at Ananda Village.
I’m so grateful to live surrounded by so much beauty.
Can’t remember the last time I sat up late handwriting music parts; it’s surely been decades and decades.
Fun to watch little details come back to me…and I’m grateful for it, too.
I always find Ananda’s Sunday service to be inspiring, but some weeks it is so deeply inspiring that I feel fully recalibrated by the end.
Today was one of those Sunday services, and it was just what I needed — exactly when I needed it! (Not to mention the lingering impact of the uplifting Sevaka Retreat that took place the day before.)
I’m so grateful to be starting Spiritual Renewal Week with a renewed awareness of — and strengthened commitment to — living my life in service to God.
I especially love the words in this portion of the Festival of Light that we hear every Sunday:
Many times has that light descended,
Drawn to earth by the call of aspiring love.
Your chosen people have always been
Those of every race and nation
Who, with deep love, chose Thee.
(The minister lifts the candle aloft with both hands to symbolize this choice.)
Please pray with me:
O Lord,
With all my heart,
With all my mind,
With all my soul,
And with all my strength
I choose Thy love,
I choose only Thee.
And so I do…again and again and again. 🙏