Awestruck

It is amazing how blessed we are and how much we take for granted.  Maybe Mother Nature does these things so that the rest of us realize our problems are transitory.  So today I am awestruck . . .

Awestruck about the home we live in, the food in our cupboard and refrigerator and freezer.  Many don't have that today.  I am awestruck on the good health of our family.  So many are struggling with health issues that seem insurmountable.

The scandals taking place in our Capital are a reminder that we are all human.  We let petty concerns keep us from doing the right thing.  We think our opinions are proper and we have the wisdom of the ages.  Our hubris is without bound.  We get caught in our fears, our dreams, and forget that we have blessings right here, right now.  We rely on ourselves when we should rely on God's guidance and wonder why nothing works the way we plan.

Then someone steps away from their fears.  Courage grows and truth comes out. It's like we have been awaiting a terrible storm and as the clouds part and the fresh smell of heavy rains meets our senses we feel hope.  We see that the world will always right itself.  We see that although our huge plans seem to never work the way we expect, the small things -- a smile to someone who looks sad or a hello as you pass someone can make all the difference.  We forget that true miracles often come in tiny packages and their result is rarely seen by those who start the chain.  We forget that there is order in this world.

So today I am grateful.  I give thanks for my home, family, and friends.  I am astonished by the opportunities that present themselves every day.  I look at my skills and see how doing my best daily means more than perfection.

Courage is not being fearless; it's moving through your fear with little regard for the consequences.  The alive feeling you get from doing the right thing and surviving in spite of your fears is a tremendous reward -- almost addicting.  Courage is being kind when it's easier to be hateful.  Standing up for your beliefs while allowing others to find their way; not judging a difference of opinion as a shortcoming.  Courage is realizing we all need to grow at our own pace and showing kindness to those who lose their way.

So today I am grateful and hope I have the courage to realize that I don't really have any of the answers.  I hope that this feeling stays with me because I can't feel grateful without being humble and realizing how insignificant I really am.

I hope that all of you have a wonderful week and see the little miracles that are around us to give us hope.