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 the 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. The teams I work with at YESS! are sincere and full of conscious leaders. I can’t see any place in my life where there is lack. What a gift.
When I think of the Thanksgiving holiday, I like to imagine that the experience I am having today was a possibility for all. It’s simple really: Thanks + Giving. What are you truly thankful for? Not just quickly thanking someone with a passing platitude, but with the depth of gratitude that erases all doubt, fear and concern. My wish for you is for this kind of experience, not just on a holiday, but every day.
As I linger in this, my eyes wander to one of my favorite quotes that’s taped to my monitor. 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?