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I Appreciate the Good!

I pray that you are well, that you are taking care of yourselves, and that you feel the Presence of Spirit as you move gracefully through this beautiful April day.

I am reminded this morning of a poem written by a beloved Vietnamese Buddhist Teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh. He writes:

Our true home is in the present moment.

To live in the present moment is a miracle.

The miracle is not to walk on water.

The miracle is to walk on the green Earth in the present moment.,

to appreciate the peace and beauty that are available now.

Peace is all around us –

in the world and in nature –

and within us –

in our bodies and our spirits.

Once we learn to touch this peace,

we will be healed and transformed.

It is not a matter of faith;

it is a matter of practice.

I have to agree that knowing and experiencing Peace in our world is a Practice…a profound Spiritual Practice. It takes conscious attention and intention to practice Peace as we move through our daily lives. One line in particular, to appreciate the peace and beauty that are available now, speaks to me this morning. It is interesting to note that appreciate carries a two-fold meaning. First, when I appreciate something, I recognize its value; and second I increase its value. So when I appreciate the Peace and Beauty that are available to me in every moment, I am not only paying attention to the fact that they are at hand, I am also experiencing Peace and Beauty in a more profound way than before.

As I spend some time, contemplating this idea of appreciation, I realize that, in the business of my days, I sometimes give more attention to what is wrong than to what is right. For example, I see the projects that are not yet finished, instead of looking at what I have accomplished. I notice the rooms that need cleaning rather than the ones that are in pretty good shape. I guess it is a glass half empty habit of thinking that can creep in when I’m not “standing guard at the portals of my mind”. (Emerson) I trust that I am not alone here, so I offer (to me and to you) an invitation as I move into my day.

Join me today, if you wish, in seeing what is right with the world. I have found this to be another profound Practice. As I move through my day, I look for what is working well. I flipped the switch on the water pot this morning and it heated the water. I notice those things that are flourishing without my attention or  involvement. Look at how the birds are singing and flying around in the yard, and the roses are blooming. I pay attention to what I have accomplished rather than to unfinished projects and business. I made some amazing enchiladas for dinner last night and I have left-overs for lunch. And look at all those little plants in my greenhouse. I recognize and give thanks for all that I am free to do or be today. I can arrange my day in any way that I choose…what a blessing. And if I choose to check in with the media, only good news will be given my attention today. I appreciate that there is so much beauty, kindness, and generosity in the world. I notice all that I have to be grateful for, especially the little things that I often take for granted. Clear running water that magically comes out of my faucet…hot and cold! Clean air to breathe…and getting cleaner by the day. A healthy body that allows me to move through the world…bare feet in the grass…the comforts of home…the love of family, friends, pets…a spiritual family willing to share in this journey of Spirit…the list goes on and on.

I make it a Practice to notice, attend to, and give thanks for all that is working in my life. I let go of expectations, allowing what is to simply be…giving Life permission to flow Gracefully along…seeing the Good and the Peace in every moment…recognizing the one Power as the only Power, the one Presence as the only Presence, and the one Process as the only Process. As I breathe and allow myself to gently slip into alignment with this Truth, all is well. I let it be. And so it is.

May we all be well…stay in touch…know our unity…and thrive!

And may we know the Absolute Beauty and Wonder of this Grace-filled, once-in-a lifetime day…

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