Charleston: Gladness, Gratefulness, Acceptance, Peace
“Be glad today for the many small graces that line the path of our lives like flowers. Be open to the surprises that may come and alert to the quiet messages whispered on the wind. Be creative in how you shape your life in these few hours, for every day is a blank canvas. Be a blessing to others as the night draws near and let your evening prayers keep them safe until you awake again.”—Steven Charleston Daily Facebook Page.
joanna campbell
Every day, we have choices. First, we can obsess over the past, what we have lost, mistakes we have made. Second, we can obsess over the future, what we will lose, especially as we age or fall into new mistakes. The past and potential future become our “gods, taking up rent in our heads”—consuming all our time and energy. Our mind keeps racing faster to make plans and find solutions.
Our third choice is to live consciously, moment by moment, in the now. We can enjoy, treasure, and give thanks for each day’s gifts, which come to us in each present moment. This involves an impressive awareness of our surroundings and relationships, enlarging our worldview, and getting “out of ourselves.” The challenge is not to forget our mistakes but to learn from them to make them less frequent in the future.
Acceptance of ourselves as works in progress, not works seeking perfection, is enormous. Acceptance that there is a power greater than ourselves caring for us is paramount. I talk daily with people upset about plans that were not going their way, only to become thankful later because “their plan” would have been destructive.
I think of old boyfriends I obsessed about who ignored me as a teenager. I realize today that my life would have been a disaster with any of them. I think of people who came and continue to come into my life to change my direction when I go the wrong way. I think of people who cared for our children when we couldn’t or were not the ones they needed at the time.
As we age, we may find ourselves filled with anxiety from contemplating the deterioration of health, the death of a spouse, or living on a fixed income, and now living in a time of destructive weather due to climate change. There are so many uncertainties.
We have a part to play in overcoming this. First, we must do our best to keep ourselves healthy through diet, exercise, and proper medical care. But then, our best response should be to wake up each morning with gratitude for the gifts of another day together.
Acceptance and gratitude are our cornerstones, the primary building blocks to peace and serenity.
I am writing this so I will continue to remember it.
ann gornatti’s garden