Stepping into Brilliance

Have you ever seen successful people become targets for others that seem to look to “take them down a notch”? Have you ever found yourself participating in finding fault with successful people? It sometimes seems that our culture delights in creating idols, then tearing them down.

I have certainly participated in this practice. I recently watched a Toastmasters World Champion of Public Speaking and commented that I felt it was much more a performance than a speech rather than celebrating the brilliance of the presentation.

If we step into our brilliance, we may become a target for others who don’t celebrate their own brilliance. Are you ever afraid that if you let your light shine, others will attack you?

I recently watched someone I admire greatly “take it on the chin” in a rather public evaluation. The format of the event did not allow for a rebuttal, and I watched my friend hold his head high and stand in dignity. I was inspired by his grace in this situation, and aspire to be like him.

When you are the one in the spotlight, do you invite feedback? Can you find a place where you can be objective about what is shared? Sometimes I’ve found the comments that stung the most when delivered were those that I had the most to learn from once I could get through the emotional upheaval and see it from the other side.

Even when the comments seem hyper-critical, we now have the gift of another person’s perspective, even if we do not agree with their conclusions. I think of the little birds out in the pastures who pick through the horse poop to find the bits of undigested grain. If we can find the grain within what appears to be poop, we will remain on the path to continuous improvement and lifelong learning.

Having the gift of another’s opinion can help pave the pathway to success. The secret is in knowing ourselves well enough to take what fits, and discard what doesn’t. We mustn’t place more value on others’ opinions of us than we do on our opinions of ourselves. Then we can stand in our own glory and be grateful for the contributions of those who have offered guidance along the way.

I wish you guidance and glory.

• Jocelyn Hastie

Advertisements

Coming soon…

I recently entered into a coaching circle with my fellow Touched by a Horse grads. As a result, I’ve been putting a lot of thought into my business and it’s many faces. I’ve been revisiting my values and making sure they are reflected in my website. I’ve finally named my place here in Wyoming. After much though, the land and I agreed on Stonegait Manor. I’ve committed to taking my Paso Fino stallion, Viajero, to the Wyoming Equine Extravaganza where I’ll be able to market my business. Gulp, that’s a big one for an introvert gal like me! And finally, I’ve been working on and planning for a womens group. This has been especially hard for me because honestly, I don’t like being around most women. And yet, here I am part of a blog consisting of all women bloggers, posting to a site entitled Women Move it Forward, a graduate from a program that is made up of mostly women! OK, Universe, message received loud and clear!

Let me go back to my statement that I don’t like being around most women. It’s true. It’s authentic . “Most” women are not authentic. They are selfish, conceited, self serving, competitive, gossipy, back stabbing, moody, judgemental and untrustworthy. Society is partially to blame for this. I believe that as women entered the professional workforce and began competing against men for jobs they stopped embracing the uniqueness that made them women. Being emotional was a weakness – You’re being hormonal. Being vulnerable was a weakness – You’ll become a target. Being nurturing was a weakness – You aren’t strong enough.

Get the point? I’m sure there are a number of other reasons why this shift has happened. The overall result is a shift away from everything that women are authentically. We are suffering. Society is suffering.

Women’s circles and gatherings are an ancient tradition. There are many places in the world that this still happens. Those cultures and tribes are stronger because of them. As I continue to tap into my own past and ancestory, I am drawn to that ancient feminine wisdom. It guides me. It drives me to seek out other like-minded women. It demands that I take on the leader role, like the alpha mare, and create that space where none exists. A safe space to embrace our “weaknesses” and be emotional ,vulnerable, and nurturing. A space where women share stories, to listen and to be heard. A space where women tap into sacred feminine wisdom and remember where they came from. A space to share laughter and tears without judgement. Together we are stronger and we will heal the broken bonds.

Cooking soon at Stonegait Manor, brought to you by Through the Horse…

Ruminating

Contributed by BB Harding

I’ve been taking a class on writing.  The intention of the class is to support people in writing in their authentic voice.  My intention was to find my consistent voice, and allow it to open up for me.

In one of the first exercises I wrote the following:

• When I am around someone who thinks they know it all, I tend to not speak.
• When I am around someone who is loud, boisterous, passionate.  I tend not to speak
• When I am around someone who is always talking, I tend not to speak
• In the last couple of years, I have tended to sit back and not speak
• I need a question to get me started, and then I need patience from the other person to allow me to feel my way into things.
• Unless I know a topic really well, I will not speak.  I might not even question if I don’t find that the other person has the space for me to ask.
• I appear to have a preference for hiding.  Shying away from making my potential inaccurate observations known.

I was, of course, surprised by what I wrote, and at the same time, it gave me words around the things that I did know about myself.  I have struggled mightily to put my thoughts into words that others might be able to relate to.  There are times that I think and feel much differently than how others feel, and in the midst of their passion, I am paralyzed to speak.  I am acutely aware that I can have a limited perspective on many things – I don’t see or know the whole picture.  For me, it can be especially tricky when I can see “both sides of the story,” and I don’t feel strongly one way or the other.  It is also difficult to verbally navigate when something “just doesn’t feel right” to me, and no real data to back me up one way or the other.  I have learned to keep my “potentially controversial” thoughts to myself.  I have had both admiration and fear for my friends that are strong activists, who have very strong opinions about what is wrong in the world.  Admiration because I can see and feel their passion that has ignited into a firing inferno, and fear because the inferno is overwhelming and I don’t have something like that that I feel about, and more than likely, I don’t see things the same way that they do.  (And strongly imagine that they won’t see my point of view either.)

There are days where something will “hit” me and then I will spend some time thinking about it.  I let things sit until they either make some sense to me, or they leave.  This is typical done in the quiet recesses of my mind and are seldom shared. Today, I want to do something different.  To take a chance.

I have long held the vision that as a global citizen there would come a day when I would be able to travel from country to country without the need of a passport.  Much like I do here in the states.  As an auto driver, I go from one to the other, and do not require special documentation.  There are times that I do have to go through a checkpoint, especially in states that border Canada or Mexico.

I have been taken aback by the controversy over the “border wall.”  I can remember the first time I heard about it, I wondered why would we want to move toward isolationism when the emphasis is on globalization?  I now wonder how did it come to pass that we fear for our safety so much that we want to build a wall between us and our neighbors to the south?  What are the things that would need to be taken into account so that we could truly solve the problem?  And is a wall the answer, or dialog, collaboration, out of the box thinking?

In the last year, I was made aware that in order for a change agent to be effective, they had to be able to hold the energy of both polarities and be inclusive.  Inclusive of the positions of both sides so that the view of the problem could rise and be seen at a higher level. The maxims that you must ask the right question to gain the insight, and you can’t solve a problem with the same thinking/energy that created it came flooding in.  What would need to be taken into account in order to get to that higher level of seeing?  I imagined that things like “what are the things that cause/entice our southern neighbors to come into the US?”  “Is there substance to the fears that those in the US have towards our southern neighbors?”  “Do these fears apply just to them, or to all who are different from ourselves?”  “How can the differences be bridged?”  “What change in perspective needs to take place in order to create safety and harmony?” “How can we rise beyond the fear and lack to know that all is well?”

Over the years, through the many catastrophes, I have watched as people have come from all parts of the world to assist and support other parts of the world.  How many have supported earthquakes in Japan, Iran, Haiti, Mexico, China?  How about the tsunami in Thailand?  Illnesses, water quality, food shortages in Africa?  Outreaches that even though they are not classified as such, carry the energy of being a citizen of the world and caring for each other?  Even here in the states, how many people have come to the aide of those whose lives have been turned upside down by the hurricanes, fires and floods?  It hurts to see such vitriol thrown around, distrust escalated to the point of exclusion and the need for walling oneself off, being lulled into a false sense of security.  I am reminded of a friend of mine who delivers speeches.  He had one speech that talked about how the solution to problem A became problem B.  We create a wall thinking that we are solving problems related to illegal immigration, drugs and crime, and then what problem does the wall create?

There are times where it feels frustrating.  I don’t have the answers, and I don’t yet even have the question that would provide the greatest breakthrough when answered.   I hold that somehow, we will be able to come together for the benefit of raising the consciousness of the collective, and with that intent, the answers come forward.

I ask myself, how can I change my perspective so that I can embrace new possibilities rather than push against something that seems off?  I know that I can be in charge of how I proceed and hold that others too will do the same.

 

Unstructured Play

“They’re goats! I’m telling you they’re goats!”

I laughed to myself as the boy’s voice rang out from somewhere behind me, the whir of his bike wheels letting me know he was heading down the street in my direction. I couldn’t see much of the street, crouched down as I was, but I had a feeling he was talking about my Lilly, who is most definitely not a goat.

Lilly was stoutly standing watch over me as I cleaned out the hooves of her companion, Molly. Molly is an elderly mule, a red roan with the most beautiful long, auburn ears. She has old lady joints and prefers to have her feet tended to while she is lying down; I comply, hence, the current crouching which has me shielded from the view of the boy who is certain he has spotted some goats.

I stand up and see two boys circling their bikes back and forth in the dirt road just across my fence line, the one boy still going on about the goats he sees.

“Actually, she’s a miniature donkey!” I holler over to him, waving.

He repeats it to his friend, delighted. I wonder whether it occurs to him that his friend was equally able to hear me. Probably not. His enthusiasm simply boils over, can’t be contained.

Wanting to add to their fun a bit, I call out again, “Across the street, there’s a bison!”

“Whoa, really?  Hey guess what, there’s a bison over there! Do you see it? I SEE IT! I SEE IT, IT’S LYING DOWN!”

They chatter as they continue up the street, the two boys on their bikes, and now, I see, a young girl following them on her scooter, looking a bit reluctant, as if she’s all too aware that she’s the odd one out.

Then the boy who strikes me as their leader, sees my horse Sky.  “Whoa, look at that horse.  He’s a BEAUT!”  My heart does a little flip of pride as the troupe heads off into the distance.

I turn my attention back to Molly, delighted by my encounter.  I’m struck by the boy’s complete surrender to the joy of his experience.  His carefree ways feel like a most-welcome intrusion into the seriousness of my adult life, like an unexpected reminder of my prayers for more fun, more abandoning myself to joy and more unstructured play.

When I was a kid, I spent hours in the woods behind my house, building teepees, running around pretending to be a horse, or walking to a friend’s house. When the swamp froze over, my brother and his friends played hockey on the thin ice, occasionally breaking through to find that the cold water was only ankle deep.  Play was hours and hours of doing and creating for no reason other than because it was fun.

Now, my idea of play is to see if a 28-year-old mule will allow me to trim her hooves while she’s lying down.  She does.  She even allows me to prop her legs up with blankets and yoga blocks so I can get a better perspective.  It’s pretty awesome.  Or should I say…OMG, MOLLY LET ME PROP UP HER FEET WITH YOGA BLOCKS WHILE I TRIMMED HER HOOVES, OMG IT WAS SO COOL, SHE EVEN STRETCHED HER LEGS OUT AND LAID FLAT OUT LIKE SHE WAS GETTING A PEDICURE IN A SPA!!!!!!!  I FELT LIKE SUCH A BADASS!!!

 

You can have anything you want, you just have to know how to want…

Photo by Miguel Á. Padriñán on Pexels.com

Written by Carroll a member of Women Move it Forward Blog.

I have lead a blessed life!

Every-thing I have truly wanted, I have received.

I told my son his entire life “you can have anything you want, you just need to know how to want.” I tried to explain the how, but that was very difficult. It was such a deep part of me I could not see what all I was doing or being.

There was one area I could not get what I wanted – my attitude about myself. I had no idea how to find my value without achievement or how to keep a healthy weight. I could lose weight if I had a goal. I always seamed to create a protective layer around me.

I have come across Dr Joe Dispenza.

Game Changer!!!!

He gives the how. He uses science to explain what the body is doing. He said our bodies are our subconscious minds. He has data to show people healing everything from stage 4 cancer, Parkinson’s, MS, spinal trauma, and so many other things.

How?

Meditation and breath.

I have been working on me. I have been doing the meditations for almost a month. For 40 years I have had hay fever and sometimes even after taking allergy medications, my throat would close almost all the way and I would have to lie down gasping for air. Now I can go feed hay without medication and I only sneeze a few times. During one mediation my knee felt like it grew twice the size even though it looked the same. Right after the meditation it went back to normal feeling and a childhood injury was healed. No more over extending when I walk.

I listened to testimonials and people talked about healing, abundance of wealth, and divine experiences coming to them. Can you imagine the amount of energy a 1000 people can create in a room in a week? I will be one of them as soon as the Universe organizes it. They are my tribe.

Are you searching for something? I recommend looking into his books, meditations, interviews. and testimonials… they can change your life!

Here is a link to Dr Joe Dispenza and his message in an interview on Impact Theory.

Testimonial from Lorna she had a minor stroke and lost 25% of her vision in one eye. she could not drive or work. She speaks of her healing.

This is a short view of his December 2018 week long advanced retreat.

This is his webpage.

Mind over matter!

BE-YOND

It is a New Year. A time of new beginnings. Perhaps it is not about goal setting and resolutions. Perhaps it is about moving Be-yond…

For the first time in six years I do not have a vision for 2019. My written visions were what I wished to manifest in the upcoming year. The only piece I have at this moment is that I will receive immense support and comfort by being with others. True friendship, true two sided relationships (giving and receiving) and mutuality sounds wonderful.

I am grateful BE-YOND measure for all the support I received from old and new friends and family as I healed. I did not know how to be on the receiving end. It felt awkward at times. I soon learned to embrace all that came our way. What was needed just showed up.  A weeks worth of home cooked meals, visits at the Rehab hospital, calls, emails and texts.  Support galore. It gave me wonderful things to focus on as I struggled to regain independence. I will never forget the pyramid encased in a beautiful healing crystal placed next to my bed from a friend in New Mexico or the pup playing in the yard brought to visit from a friend in Missouri. Many new friends have come into my life too that supported my spiritual Being.

After writing my last blog, I found out that I had turned myself inside out over this lifetime offering support to so many others. Support and Care Giving. I thought it was healing for them and for me. I now find it was being driven from a deep childhood wound- lack of financial, physical, emotional and Spiritual support. I freely gave out what I did not receive. What one values the most in life is also where one was the most deeply wounded.

Relationships are multidimensional. Someone else can’t give you what they do not have within themselves already. Look inside yourself- what you think is lacking or hidden or bull dozed over may be inside you. It is called higher consciousness. I have looked for support in all the wrong places. And it left me depleted. I gave and gave support- hoping that it would eventually make a difference and show the other people, clients, pets, horses and myself that we are of infinite value. Not in a material sense, but in the larger wholeness. Many have responded in positive ways. I do believe in paying it forward. If something I do touches you- then pay it forward. I believe Spirit takes care of me. Now that I am aware of this- I am willing to receive support in whatever way it manifests.

Relying on Spirit and less on myself was a strong lesson in 2018. That was not part of any written vision! Balance in everything was also a huge lesson. No where did I ask to manifest balance in 2018. Those are also good places to start in 2019.

I volunteered for so much in the past. I took on so many things. Because relationships were of value. Recently a friend pointed out that my authentic self waits for the invitation. Once aware of that, I started noticing invitations based on my authentic self. When invitations didn’t come- I often felt rejected in the past. How I negotiated life was somewhat out of balance.

I responded to two invitations in December. One was to an ugly sweater party. I wore a sweater with a stuffed unicorn attached to it, surrounded by sparkling garland. Below that was the word “Believe” in sequins. On Dec. 12^th I attended a “Fairy Walk” ceremony in a beautiful sanctuary setting. I was awakened to a land of make believe and imagination, far removed from my usual seriousness. Magic did indeed show up that day! I provided edible Fairy Dust and tinkling bells to place on trees. We made an offering of chocolate to the Fairy realm. Just at sunset, as the magic portal shifted we were blessed with a spectacular display of nature. I could hear the delightful giggling of the Fairies! Why that sounds crazy, right? I am embracing my crazy and having fun! When was the last time you invited your inner child out to play? Business as usual gets boring!

Now I imagine what it is like to balance on the ever shifting spine of a dragon in flight. Is that a physical possibility? No. not really. It is however an imaginative or intuitive experience. It is a New Reality way of negotiating life. I recently met (through a meditative experience held in a Tee Pee) a very tall crystalline Being whose name was like a musical note. He was a member of the Tribe of Tribes. I felt like I had known him for a very long time- not in my physical form. I was joyous and climbed right up. He held me in long arms so that I could place my hands on his facial features. It was a joyous experience to merge with the heart and soul of this loving Being. These out of the “human form reality” experiences are priceless and healing. Vision, intuition and seeing through the eyes of Spirit with clarity and discernment coupled with high heart compassion and love is so much more expansive than the material world we live in. It is the bridge to higher consciousness and expansive dimensions! It is sensing the Beyond!

I could continue trudging through the sludge of limiting human form. I could continue living in my past reality of limitations. Or I can just let go with great relief.

If something does not resonate (match your vibrational energetic frequency) within you, then it likely doesn’t belong to you. Seek high frequency resonance and allow what does not resonate to fall away or dissolve. Focus your attention elsewhere.

So much unraveled in 2018. I am not interested in trying to knit it back together. Even more will dissolve or fall away. I release with gratitude. I have a new foundation. I am standing in a doorway with open arms ready to embrace opportunities and possibilities in 2019. I am creating space around decisions that have not been made yet. I want to embrace a new paradigm and create a shift… Living BE-YOND; freely, with enthusiasm, excitement, joy, fun, higher consciousness, inner peace and living with my soul shining outward from within.

Do You Belong?

Do you belong? Do you help others feel that they belong? What does that mean to you?

Last fall, I heard Dr. Erik Carter speak at events in High River and Calgary. His words were powerful, and his position is that there are ten dimensions to belonging. A pronouncement that “Everyone is welcome” is not enough. True inclusiveness and belonging requires much more.

Dr. Carter challenges us to ask the following questions about people with disabilities and their families. I think the concepts can be extended to anyone. Here are the ten increasing dimensions of belonging he puts forth. Are individuals:

1. Present
2. Invited – personally, not a global invitation
3. Welcomed
4. Known – as individuals
5. Accepted – beyond tolerated
6. Supported
7. Cared for
8. Befriended
9. Needed – we miss you when you’re not here
10. Loved

I invite you to consider the people in your life that seemed quite different from you when you first encountered them. I suspect that the more you got to know them, the further along this spectrum you progressed – and the more similarities you saw and the less the differences mattered.

When have you felt that you belonged? Where on this spectrum did you feel you sat? When have you invited others into your world? How far into your world? Where on this spectrum did that relationship sit?

I challenge you to think about this concept as the holiday season winds down.

Dr. Carter is Professor of Special Education at Vanderbilt, and his website can be found at https://www.erikwcarter.com/.

Expanding Gratitude

Written by BB Harding, one of the Women Moving It Forward

Shortly before Thanksgiving, I woke up one morning and had the thought “How would my life be different if I focused on wanting what I have rather than having what I want?”  Ok, my first thought was well, that doesn’t make sense.  What does a person use to “incentivize” themselves if they don’t have something that they want?  How does one better themselves if they are willing to stick with what they have?  What about those who really have a lousy life – how do they put that thought to work for themselves?

Every cloud has a silver lining.  How many times have you heard that?

I easily came to realize that “wanting what you have” is akin to “being grateful for what you have.”  It has been said that gratitude is one of the greatest things that you can have.  How many famous people have you heard talk about the power of gratitude?  How many have linked happiness to gratitude; success to gratitude; health to gratitude?  How many trainers and spiritual teachers espouse journaling each night before going to bed on 3-5 things for which you are grateful that day?

I took this thought with me throughout the days that followed.  I spent time reflecting on things in my life (what I have) and looking at the level of want for those things.  Since it was already there, it wasn’t something that I spent time wanting, in fact I gave very little thought about having it.  It just was.  And, it wasn’t anything where I was particularly appreciative for the fact that I did have it.  Again, it just was.

Another aspect was if I did have gratitude/appreciation how deep and wide was that feeling?  Here is what I mean by that.  One thing I totally love is a hot shower.  I nearly always thank the warm water as it courses over me for how good it feels; how nurtured I feel as it does so.  How much gratitude have I ever given to the infrastructure and people who have made running hot water in my home possible?  Going that one step further begins to expand the gratitude that I experience.

It can then become easy to slip into thinking about the breadth and depth in other areas.  How about food – am I grateful to the fruits, vegetables, meats, grains that end up on my plate?  How about the farmers/growers, transportation, markets, banks, appliances that have all played a hand in having food show up on my table for consumption?

I come to realize just how unconscious I have become to the things that have shown up in my life and how they got there.  All with very little appreciation for the “effort” that it took to get there.  At a higher level, very little appreciation for how I am able to energetically organize my world so that they are consistently there.  How often does a person honor themselves as a powerful being?  I know I seldom do.

My reflections on “having what I wanted” took me down the road of enquiring “who is it that wants” and “why is it that it is wanted?”  What need is wanting to be fulfilled?  Why is that need there?  An example might be “I want a cookie.”  The “why” I want a cookie might include things like I’m bored, I want a distraction; I want something sweet in my life; I feel like something is missing and want to fill it; I’m feeling frightened, and as a kid, having a cookie was a sign that “all was well.”  Another want might be a new flashy car.  The “why” might be because I want to feel the sense of freedom that comes from having the wind in my hair; I want to be the envy of all of my friends; I have something to prove; I am trying to create a sense of value in my peer group; I want to make an impression on people when they see me in my new car; I want to exude success, especially when underneath I’m not certain about whom I am.  I begin to determine that wanting things that I don’t have is more wrapped up around “lack consciousness” than “abundance consciousness” – I lack something – rather than I am filled with joy at having something.

In my Human Design studies, Karen (Curry Parker) has shared that part of the manifestation process is to be signaling the universe that “this feels good, more please.”  This then allows the magnetic monopole to attract those types of experiences to me.  If I don’t like what is going on, then I can “tweak the request.”

I am seeing more and more, that to appreciate what I have, to expand my level of gratitude can be a life altering event not only for me, as an individual, it can set a new frequency for the community and planet.  Being fully engaged with what is present.  Bringing all that is present into harmony.

I went searching for a few quotes and here are three I want to share.  Each has an aspect of my own conclusions for “wanting what I have rather than focusing on having what I want.”

Oprah Winfrey:  Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.

Robert Holden:  The real gift of gratitude is that the more grateful you are, the more present you become.

Kristin Armstrong:  When we focus on our gratitude, the tide of disappointment goes out and the tide of love rushes in.

In this season, I invite you to find the things in your life that you are grateful for, and then be grateful for all that has been organized in the universe to bring it to you.

 

The Little Pony With the Messy Mane

Tags

Animals, Horses

Once upon a time, there was a pony named Emma. She was a Fell Pony, and as such, not tiny. When she was full grown, she would be big enough for a light adult to ride her.

Emma was only two, which means she was full of herself, and had opinions about everything. One day, her opinion, which said “I go through this door FIRST”, and the opinion of another, larger horse, collided. They both had the same opinion about who was going to go through the door first. Unfortunately, they both didn’t fit, and Emma lost that discussion. She also cracked her elbow and her scapula on the door jamb, and things were bleak for a while.

She couldn’t put any weight on her leg. She hobbled around like a tripod, and looked miserable. The vet came out and took x-rays. Uh oh. Stall time for Emma, and maybe, just maybe, she’d get well enough to be a beautiful pasture ornament for the rest of her life.

Fortunately for us all, Emma was wise beyond her years and took very good care of that leg. In only a few days, with the help of some horsey pain killers, she was starting to put weight back on it. She stayed quiet in her stall, ate hay, and chewed on wood. Her good friend Declan, another large pony-sized equine, stayed in the barn with her and kept her company. Emma was very grateful to Declan for making that sacrifice.

Emma’s mom thought it would be nice to braid Emma’s very substantial mane into braids, because it was quite warm in the barn and it would help keep Emma cool. So she did. Emma was not impressed, especially with her forelock braid.

“Why do I have to have my forelock braided,” she fretted, and rubbed her head against the side of the stall. It’s itchy. It goes sideways. It’s got YELLOW TWINE in it, for crying out loud. I look like a hussy instead of a cute pony.”

Emma rubbed and rubbed. The braid became more and more messy. At last, success! Her forelock was once again free!

Emma on the left, Declan on the right, freed at last from the barn.

After braiding it three times and having it rubbed out, Emma’s mom gave up. If Emma wanted her forelock loose that badly, so be it.

Emma worked on the rest of the braids. It gave her something to do while she was confined to the stall. Got them all out, too.

She continued to heal. After 8 long weeks, she and Declan got to go back outside. Now she’s once again free, eating green grass, and running. Braid free.

 

Giving Common Thanks

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Written by Carroll a member of Women Move it Forward Blog

I do my best to feel gratitude at all times. Thanksgiving is special here because it focuses on the feel of gratitude. This year we had a great feast and company on Thanksgiving. And we focused on how wonderful the food tasted; how easy it was to cook, and all the great friendships we have including the spirits in the Tribe of Tribes on the property.

In the middle of Black Friday night I experienced a whole new level of giving thanks. How many things are taken for granted day-to-day, moment-to-moment? The things that make our life quality. Around 10:30 at night a loud beep woke my husband and I. It was the carbon monoxide detector come on and off a couple of times. The electricity to the entire house flickered and then went off leaving us in complete darkness.

We did the usual things – check to see if the neighbor’s lights were off (indicating it was a widespread outage not just something at our house), get a flashlight, and go to set up the generator.

OUCH, we realized that our generator was out in the barn. When I looked outside it was a white-out blizzard. And I admit my emotions dipped. The thought of bundling up for 15-degree weather, going outside, getting in the car, driving to the barn, opening gates which are probably frozen from ice, lifting the generator into the car, bringing it back and setting it up on the porch with all the snow and wind just did not sound like a good time.

And then my husband said “Let’s wait and see if they get it back on” and I agreed to wait for an hour. My 94-year-old grandmother lives with us and would not fare well if the house became cold. So we waited, half hour later the electricity flashed on for second and then went off again.

At that point I really focused on giving thanks for the person who was troubleshooting this issue where ever they maybe. And I started focusing on finding the benefit of this event! I truly enjoyed the darkness, and the lack of any kind of radio waves from all the devices which are “necessary” nowadays. I enjoyed being cozy under a big blanket. I gave thanks for the person who was in the process of returning electricity to us.

That electricity supplies not only our heat and our light but also our water from the well. All the things taken for granted just in the course of the day.

At 55 minutes after the electricity went out, it came back on. Gratitude for listening to my husband! The relief and gratitude of not having to go to the barn was immense. The gratitude for those people working at the electric power plant or on the line was very deeply heartfelt. And as we started the pellet stove, gratitude for heat, light and comfort was almost overwhelming.

How often do you give gratitude for electricity, water and sewer?

I am reminded of the saying “big things are made out of lots of little things…” I invite you look around you every day with gratitude for the little things like a functioning outlet or faucet…