Gratitude Journal: Day 16-30, on love

The last 15 days of the gratitude journaling I had a lot of extra time without Internet to hand write in my personal diary, reflect and renew, catch another stomach virus, teach and practice yoga, read and cycle in the rain, fellowship in community, and be still. 

In the stillness my ears rang with new clarity. The extra sleep, lack of computer time and encouraging environment fostered some deep healing. Gratitude lists were extensive and varied throughout my adventurous 2 weeks. Doodle-filled inventories of frivolousness appreciation for things like nightshade vegetables and blue white and yellow butterflies, but also significant entries such as encounters with the prepossessing souls and an experience on Monkey Rock overlooking the valley below where I felt veritable Oneness (Samadhi) that was unexplainable. I simply wrote: ONE in all caps. It took my breath away.   

Gratitude just might be the reason I hold out so much hope and positivity for the future. Not all of life is easy to be grateful for. There was this virus that knocked me out for more than 2 days and still, I had to teach. However, there is always a thread of brilliance weaving things intricately together that isn't visible at the time. 

Two women come to mind whom I am deeply grateful for. Vastly differently, they both exemplify living yoga to me. Each overcoming great barriers in their lives but doing so with grace, integrity and by pulling up others around them rather than pushing them down. I am infatuated with their giving spirits and excited to have forged strong new friendships with them. 

One of the women inspired this journal entry from Day 9 of my trip... 

Sometimes we have to move away from that which we love the most. Love then seeps into areas untouched, melting hardened boulders strategically placed around the heart. A lifetime of experiences may twist and shape us but cannot contain us once we have pulled our heart out, exposed and free of shame or fear. Love returns us to our true home within. 

Love returned. 

*A note about 30 days of gratitude. 

Just, thank you for being a part of it either by reading or sharing your own thankfulness. If you didn't, go ahead, try it. I'm pretty sure it will significantly alter... something within you. Give it some time to stew and then taste how good it feels. 

In joy, 

Mel