Happy Thanksgiving! With gratitude, we repost this blog annually to remind us to pause and bathe in gratitude. From our heart to yours, we wish you an abundant and joyous Thanksgiving.
This morning, I was fully present to the sunrise. I don’t mean just observing the great colors, or simply noticing how the rolling clouds seemed almost artificial in their picturesque arrangement. In and of itself, the sunrise was spectacular, but today I was present in a way that, in a breath, everything else was magically erased. As I watched pink merging to peach, and tangerine to lavender and the rich marigold hues of the sun kissing the horizon, I was aware and awake to a depth and appreciation of everything – at once and in an instant.
In that moment, I was moved with awareness of my rich and abundant life. I am overtaken by a profound sense of gratitude.
As I’ve lingered with this experience in gratitude for several hours now, I’ve had tears of joy more than once. My friends, family, and business associates include a rich array of genuinely kind, caring and contributing people. Our community of learners at YESS! are sincere and conscious leaders. While many aspects of my life have changed dramatically this year; I can’t see any place in my life where there is lack. What a gift.
When I think of the holidays, I like to imagine that the experience I am having today is a possibility for all. It’s simple really – Thanks + Giving. What can you be truly thankful for? Not just quickly thanking someone with a passing platitude but the depth of gratitude that erases all doubt, fear, and concern. My wish for you is for this kind of experience, similar to the one I had this morning. Not for just a holiday, any day; in fact, EVERY day.
As I linger in this, my eyes wander to one of my favorite quotes on our office wall. It is from Christine Chen at Kilop USA, “In Chinese, the word ‘business’ is defined as ‘help each other make a meaningful living.” This isn’t some “Hallmark card” view of business. Rather, it begs the essential question for me of ‘how do I help others make their living meaningfully?’
Meaning is what each of us creates every day, based on how we interpret the world. I think for today, I’ll start with gratitude. I will allow myself to appreciate the depth of connection that can only awaken when you quiet the constant mind chatter enough to connect to a greater aspect of yourself and the world. In an instant the world transforms, people transform, life transforms, and we are present to all that is possible. Perhaps this is all there is?
Happy Thanksgiving, happy holidays and with gratitude, know that you are deeply appreciated by me and all of us at YESS!