Love and Joy

My friend Marianne recently loaned me One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.  The book has inspired my thinking about living fully with love and joy and respecting each moment with my full attention.  The book has especially prompted thoughts about how to be grateful for everything, even those things I don't want, such as illness or losing a loved one.  And then I suddenly remembered how my friend Mary had pressed a small brass leaf engraved with the message "Give Thanks" into my hand as my Mom was dying. As she placed the leaf into my hand, she told me to give thanks for my wonderful mom and for all of the great times I had enjoyed with her. That was it!  I had faced something I had not wanted to face, yet Mary had urged me to give thanks.  Today, I give thanks for the wisdom, friendship and generosity of Mary and Marianne.  And I give thanks for my many blessings -- even those things I don't want.