Giving Thanks

Without exception, I begin every day of my life

with an expression of gratitude.

As I look in the mirror to begin my daily ritual of shaving, I say,

"Thank you, God, for this life, for my body, for my family and loved ones,

for this day and for the opportunity to be of service.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

~Wayne Dyer

Gourd and Seed Pod

Texture Watercolor Study Oct 2011

Life has been a little crazy but I am feeling especially grateful today. Yesterday, my doctor called to tell me about results for an MRI I had last Friday and I AM FINE!

"Whatever was there before, is gone," she said.

Nothing like staring at the inside of big noisy plastic magnetic tube to put things immediately back in perspective! (Plus you really do feel like they are going to blast you into outer space!)

If you have ever been very ill, or had a big health scare, you know exactly what I am talking about. You become grateful for the "little things," that all of the sudden become big things. You get awfully grateful that you are able to sit down to dinner with your family, to call your best friend, or to take a hot shower on your own and get yourself to the bathroom at 2 am!

So today on the eve on Thanksgiving, here in the U.S., I would like to share this gratitude prayer for the body from Marianne Williamson's book Illuminata. I said this prayer every day (that I was lucid) when I was very sick in the hospital a couple of years ago and on many days since. I really believe that finding gratitude, especially in the most difficult times, heals us at the very deepest levels of our being.

Dear God,

As I rise up, I thank You for the opportunity

to be on this earth.

I thank You for my mind and body.

I thank you for my life.

Please bless my body and use it for Your purposes.

May I rise up strong today,

and may my body and soul radiate your love.

May all impurities be cast out

of my mind, my heart, my body.

May every cell of my being be filled with Your light.

May my body and mind both be illumined Your sake,

and the sake of all the world.

Amen

Prayer from Illuminata

by Marianne Williamson's

Thank you for visiting, for your friendship and for your inspiration.

Many, many blessings, love and light to you all!

Happy Thanksgiving!