Morning Meditation - Emerson Wisdom

 Morning Meditation™️. My heart sighs at the beauty of this Emerson quote! ✨

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Gratitude Moments, Vol. III, April 2013

Photo: www.igniteyour.com

I find this exercise to be freeing, especially because I never know what the gratitude thoughts are going to be until they flow from my fingertips. Kind of like entertaining Angels unaware...because the moments of blessing lurk so quietly until we open the door and allow them to fly.

I never begin a Gratitude Moments post with a preconceived notion of what thoughts will be given voice.  So, here we go...walk with me and let's see what is discovered.

Gratitude Moments

1. Having the perfect pillow for your bed.  This one is tricky.  I'm a pillow smoosher, and prefer a soft, fluffy pillow that I can punch and scrunch and mold.
2. Having a conversation with someone who completely gets you.  Y'all know what I'm talking about.  It's that kind of exchange where words are almost unnecessary, but when words are exchanged, the flow is effortless.  I'm blessed with many relationships of this quality.
3. Taking naps during the day, but even better, taking a nap during a rainy day.  I call them soft, gray days and we have them occasionally here in East Tennessee.  
4. Snow.  Having enough snow for the making of Snow Cream, and walking out in Nature with my camera to capture magical moments.
5. Having the dexterity and knowledge from learning to crochet as a child.  My great aunt Carrie taught me to crochet on her front porch, sitting in the glider.  Throughout my life, I have made countless Love Gifts for friends.  Some Love Blankets made for babies have now been passed down to the next generation, from what I'm told.  Knowing that I am creating a piece that will live for decades, given proper care, is something that I enjoy.  It's like leaving a piece of myself behind, infused with love.
6. Online shopping!  Having worked many years in retail management, I am so appreciative that I can avoid malls during the holidays.  Online shopping is a huge gratitude moment.
7. Recently joining in the marriage celebration of a very dear friend and seeing this ages old affirmation that love is enduring, crosses all boundaries and lifts us up.  *Congratulations, Spooks & Beth!*
8. Call them what you will....handbags, purses, pocketbooks.  They make me happy!!!  I prefer the structured, classic lines that hark back to the mid-Century styles.  And yes, it may be true that a few of my bags are on the large and roomy side (Marticus, hush it!), but they're necessary.  Really, they are.
9. One cannot express appreciation of handbags without giving an equal nod to shoes.  These two, handbags and shoes, are completely materialistic.  I admit it.  They're still something that makes me happy on a regular basis.  I'm equal opportunity in regard to heel height.  Flats, stilettos, and everything in between, with the exception of wedge heels (they look like animal hooves to me).
10. Meeting someone who meshes with you regarding hugging style. This is huge, people!!  I'm not big on social "air hugs".  I want the full deal - both arms around me, hold me close and tight, eyes closed, for long, long, quiet moments so that we absorb one another.  Yes.  And you know who you are.
11. Ruby red grapefruit.  It is one of my favorite fruits!  
12. Eyes that see.  Limbs that function.  Ears that hear.  Lips that speak.  Lungs that breathe easily.  A body that is in a state of good health.  I am aware that each day I step from bed and walk throughout the world, there are many who have none of these blessings.  I am consciously aware of and embrace gratitude for having a healthy body, particularly so because I have experienced health challenges in the past.  
13. Having a creative spirit - this is one of my strongest blessings.  It allows me to express myself in myriad ways.  Here, through writing.  In other areas, through my hands as I create tangible objects of art.  With my thoughts, as I engage in conversation with others.  In my waking and slumbering dreams, as those are the places that inspire me to do all of the aforementioned.
14. I love the sound of trains at night.  I grew up in East Tennessee and the sound of trains is a constant backdrop.  Yes, I've written about this here at Healing Morning - Train Song, 3/12/2010.  As I am writing this post tonight, it is raining and I can hear the rhythm of an approaching train, its whistle muffled and distant.  Because this has been a background sound my whole life, it always makes me smile and brings me to a peaceful place when I hear the sound of trains.
15. Both of my nephews bring me joy on a regular basis.  They're seven and ten years old, respectively, and at an age where normally hugging and kissing girls would ick them out.  I'm happy to report that this is not the case for me.  Either they don't see me as a girl, or they just love me enough to overlook that I'm a girl, because they hug and kiss me with much enthusiasm. It makes my heart melt. During Christmas holidays, as I was leaving my brother's house (their father), I heard, "Aunt Dawn, wait! I forgot to kiss you!  That means I get another hug."  These are currently wet puppy smelling hugs, because they're still little boys and they just always smell like wet puppies from playing hard.  They're accepted and returned with equal enthusiasm.  
16. Spring planting.  As a kid, I would never have predicted that as an adult, I would grow to appreciate and enjoy gardening, but it has come to pass that I am repeating childhood cycles in the best way possible.  I am potting kitchen herbs, starting seedlings for tomatoes, waiting on flower bulbs to arrive from catalog orders, and anticipating a flourishing patio garden this year.  It reconnects me to happy memories of similar planning of gardens with my maternal grandfather, and my dear Mom.  And this year, with luck, my miniature Meyer lemon tree just might produce fruit!  

I ask you, who can live in such a world as described above, and not dwell in gratitude?

Gratitude Moments, Vol. I, April 2012

Photo: www.innerworkingsresources.com

Most of my readers are familiar with my Grasshopper Thoughts articles.  I write those when I'm either not in the mood to delve into a meaty, involved blog article, or I just have one of those days where my attention span is shot.

A while back, I read a great post on my Facebook newsfeed that made me smile.  It was titled, "The Amazing Moments in Life".  I liked it so much that my mind automatically began compiling those moments that resonate for me, so I came here to write a Grasshopper Thoughts entry with a slightly different format.  I'll call these Gratitude Moments and this may become a recurring series.  Let me know what you think!

Gratitude Moments

1. Hearing the voice of someone you love over the phone, unexpectedly.
2. Receiving a long, tight hug that lasts for several moments.
3. Seeing a flower blooming in an unexpected place.
4. Finding cash in a pocket or purse that you had forgotten was there.
5. Taking an item to the checkout counter and being asked, "Did you know this is on sale?" (SCORE!)
6. That moment when a favorite snack food that was discontinued years ago is brought back.  In this case, Taco Flavored Doritos™!
7. Finding that ink pen that fits your hand perfectly, is the right ink flow, the right ink nib/roller ball and learning that they're affordable.
8. Spending time at your Mom's house and waking up to a breakfast only she can make.
9. Walking through the woods at home in springtime and seeing all the greening up and blossoming occurring.
10. Getting enough snow to make snow cream.
11. Holding hands.
12. Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup.
13. Having a lazy day where you snuggle on the sofa with a blanket, the remote control, comfort foods and a good book.
14. Rubbing noses with that special person.
15. Getting kissed and hugged by a child.
16. Hot tea.
17. Family reunions and seeing all those faces that you love deeply.
18. Hearing your favorite song on the radio.
19. Going to brunch with friends and discovering a new foody love. Lobster Bacon Flatbread comes to mind as a new one for me.
20. Laughing with friends and/or family until you cry happy tears.
21. Receiving flowers from someone who loves you, "Just because I knew it would make you smile".
22. Planting old fashioned flowers and watching them grow. Lily of the Valley is my personal favorite.
23. Being surprised that childhood chores you used to hate - like having a kitchen garden - have morphed into a thing of appreciation and enjoyment.  Go figure. I would never have dreamed my thoughts would change on this!
24. Listening to family members reminisce and tell stories about "the Good Old Days".
25. Finding that perfect mascara.  
26. Reading a book that literally changes your whole perspective on Life.
27. Meditation.
28. Having a good hair day.
29. Finding a new author, loving their writing style and discovering there are multiple titles of theirs available. *Love that!*
30. Having that special item of clothing that always makes you look and feel good when you wear it. One of mine is a sweatshirt my brother got me for Christmas over 10 years ago.  It's over sized, soft knit material, slouchy in silhouette and gets softer and more comfy the longer I have it, and oddly, makes me look skinny!
31. Yoga.
32. That unique smell of the morning air in your favorite location.
33. Recognizing how truly blessed you really are.
34. Banana popsicles!
35. Writing an article that, reading it back, literally gives you chills for how perfectly it has been written.
36. Celebrating a birthday of someone you love. Today is my dear, wonderful Mom's birthday...Happy Birthday, Mom!  I love you more than words can express. <3

I made myself stop at 36 things, but what I love about this process is that once you begin, the thoughts flow. There's the concept and practice of keeping a Daily Gratitude Journal and it is one that I occasionally do, but then get distracted on the daily entries part at some point.  What I can say here, today, is that sitting down to write these Gratitude Moments kept me in a happy, appreciative state of mind.  I have been smiling as I tapped out each thought and I love the Universal Law aspect of this.  Lifting our thoughts to a happy harmonic energy means that we are sending that accelerated energy outwards, where it will grow and maximize itself before returning to us to shower blessings that match that original happy energy.  I can't think of a better reason to embrace this concept and make it a habit.  What are your favorite memories and experiences that fit into the Gratitude Moments category?