“Rejoicing in ordinary things is not sentimental or trite. It actually takes guts. Each time we drop our complaints and allow everyday good fortune to inspire us, we enter the warrior’s world.”
–Pema Chodron
–Pema Chodron
I know! The autumn junkie is back for another round of wacko-fall-love. Look away now if this in any way annoys you.
What's common and ordinary, and inspires me today?
*The color of the sky up against the mountains, the shades of gray and blue and purple, dark and angry, but comforting.
*The colorful leaves, swirling in the wind.
*The doggies, running in the wind.
*Butternut squash, especially with a little parmagiano and just the teensiest bit of cream.
*When someone sings the national anthem a capella and hits all the notes. Maybe some day I'll be able to hear that without tearing up. Today was not that day.
*Christmas decorations, still in their boxes, but a few feet closer to their December destination. I swear they are quivering in expectation. Really.
*Coffee with frothed milk. I had forgotten how yummy that is.
*Words that resonate:
So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide. Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none. When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision. When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home. -Chief Tecumseh, Shawnee Nation
I hope your Monday has been good, for a Monday, and that you see Common Miracles around you. (Because they are there, everywhere.)
To see how the Common Miracle project began, go here.
Posts
yesyes to common miracles!
ReplyDelete(a lil' one for me today was
a bit of YOU in my inbox!)
XOX
Hallelujah and Amen! ...for your list.
ReplyDeleteAbout your national anthem...what is there about hearing a country's song? I can cry when I hear the French anthem or the German one and for sure when they play God Save the Queen. There is something so powerful about the words and the music and huge crowds of people standing to attention that brings out the nationalist in me.
I do have a particularly soft spot for the American national anthem, maybe because you and your brother are there with your families who are all dear to me but it is more than that. America is a great country...it came up through pushing and shoving and can stand tall. You can definitely be proud to belong.
And then there is O Canada. I am happy to be here and I do feel like I belong here more than anywhere else. It has taken me many years to begin to appreciate the qualities of Canada but I have come to know some great Canadian people which embody great qualities.
Enough already...just thanks.
Love this list! I have to admit, I'm spending a fair bit of time thinking about holiday decorating. I'm excited about my new litte tree- the "mindful" tree, I'm calling it. Our large tree has been sort of "taken over" by well-meaning family who have doused us in bulk ornaments over the years and get offended if we don't hang every single one of the 30 identical ornaments they give us every year when we announce it's time to put up the tree. So I really just want a small, pretty tree right out my studio door that is decorated from the heart and reminds me to focus in on the important things this year. (Plus, I want a lot of lights on it, and every time I suggest adding more lights to our regular tree, all nine feet of it, my husband looks at me in horror... so I'm figuring I can light up a little 5 foot tree as much as my heart desires...)
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