Sunday, November 17, 2024 Quote of the week

"The wilderness holds answers to questions we have not yet learned to ask.”

Nancy Newhall

Before light nudges its way into the pre-dawn’s autumn sky, the early morning is silent. A few leaves, still clinging to the branches, are motionless. The crickets have stopped chirping, and the birds have not yet begun their song. It's as though everything is hanging in an intricate balance…the not yet time of day. Sitting out in the yard during this time, a quiet solitude, the fullness of nothingness, is satiating. Then, suddenly, November gently whispers…Change. Let go. Nurture. Grow.

Nature mimics our human existence. Albert Einstein reminds us that we need to “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” Like the trees and streams, we too experience growth and change. We offer gratitude for the joys, while we navigate through grieving our losses. When we still ourselves, however, we are able to connect and clearly hear our hearts and our intuition speak. All the debris, the chatter, is cleared away as if it was dust being swept away by the sweep of a broom.

The holidays are approaching, and especially during the year of firsts, can be crushing. Therefore, Change the narrative; what do you want to create and rewrite in the aftermath of your loss? Let go of what no longer serves you. Nurture your heart and soul as though they are sacred soil because they truly are. Finally, rest and restore and observe how you Grow along your healing journey. Though it takes discipline, Hebrews 12:11 promises that “later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”

John Muir wrote that, “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” Walk, hike, breathe deeply and you just may discover the blessings hidden within your loss.

Sunday, November 10, 2024 Quote of the week

“Appreciation is the highest form of prayer, for it acknowledges the presence of good wherever you shine the light of your thankful thoughts.”

Alan Cohen

*My sincere gratitude to all Veterans who are serving and previously served our country. The sacrifices you made are truly appreciated.*

November is traditionally the month of gratitude and thankfulness. The urgency of summer has ended, and now there’s a gentle nudge… a consoling calm and peaceful presence. Just as the absence of light brings an earlier night, the absence of urgency allows us the time to reflect. We gain an enlightened awareness of what we’ve sown and our harvest that has come to fruition.

Many of you probably garden in some aspect. Whether it is on acres or in containers, it’s exciting to see the herbs, fruits, and vegetables grow and produce their yield. I planted only one eggplant plant, and I harvested over thirty eggplants! After roasting them, making batches of sauces for winter, and eggplant parmesan, I gave them to friends and family. I still have a couple more on the vine.

"The heart,” John Kornfield said, “is like a garden. It can grow compassion or fear, resentment or love. What seeds will you plant there?” When in recovery from loss, the soil of the heart is depleted; it is seemingly impossible to produce the joy it once held. We grieve deeply the losses, and it is only with cultivating, pruning, nurturing, and time, that we can begin to witness the fruition of our suffering. Suffering highlights our dependency on others and on God to carry us through the darkness.

Through the loss of our loved ones, we can gain an enlightened awareness of the magic of their relationships. Eventually, fear will surrender to compassion, resentment will resign to love. Ralph Marston wrote, "Truly appreciate those around you, and you’ll soon find many others around you. Truly appreciate life, and you'll find that you have more of it.”

Although we did not grow old together, Jim and I were together for a while. And isn’t that all we really have anyway? Just a while?

Love those still in your life, with gratitude, and choose to live the time you still hold.

Storylight A transformational journey SHARON M WIBLE

Sunday, November 17, 2024 Quote of the week

Sunday, November 10, 2024 Quote of the week

This website uses cookies.