Blessed. Funny, but I almost have to laugh at my choice of words. I’ve never really thought of myself as one of those people who raised their hands to the heavens in devout prayer, or who opted to sit in a church pew on a Sunday morning instead of holing up at home in bed with a good book and a plate of cookies. I always thought the term blessed (and all of it’s connotations) referred to extreme religious fanatics. For the record, I don’t believe in Hell as a place, or see the devil as a hell-bent religious entity intent on stealing my soul and dragging me down into the underworld. I don’t believe that you are destined for eternal damnation because you weren’t baptized into the right church, and I most certainly deny any thought related to worshiping various archeological idols or golden gods.
Lately, however, after diving into the study of spirituality and learning to view life as more of an energetic force as opposed to a series of rigid rules and regulations imposed by a supreme being who will smite us should we stray from his "path of righteousness", I have a new understanding of the word blessed. To me, it has taken on a new meaning - and lost most of its association with religion. Or, at least, with the religious ideas that I was initially brought up with. Now, when I hear that particular word, my mind opens up to thoughts of love, prosperity, contentment, happiness, good fortune and, ultimately, being in complete integrity with our energetic creator.
Be it Source Energy, God, Buddha, or Allah... Call it what you want, but I am smitten and humbled by the purity and beauty of our origin. And, in turning on the light to this way of thinking, I am able to direct the beam at myself, and realize just how blessed I actually am.
I am blessed, first and foremost, for my husband, Chris. I am lucky in love, so to speak. I appreciate him for his heart, his open mind, his integrity, his sense of adventure... Chris has the blessed ability to love me despite my flaws. Throughout the years, he has supported me as a lover, as a friend, as a soul mate, and as an honest advisor who has provided insight into my wildest dreams. As I hope that I’ve been his teacher, he’s most certainly been mine. He’s shown me the way to love everlasting, guided me to heaven-on-earth, and opened my eyes to eternity. He is my greatest earthly affection, and because of him, my life is truly blessed.
I am grateful for our dogs, Molly and Dehlia. For their endless love, their unwavering loyalty, and their heartfelt empathy. Dogs are beautiful beings, pure and untarnished, and our girls are no exception. Our four-legged daughters provide our lives with an unending supply of joy, hope, and optimism. They are our bliss.
My life is constantly blessed by my wonderful family. Jeff, for being the best big brother the world has ever known. He has been my professor of philosophy, and my lifeline in exploring life’s ever-widening horizons. And then there’s Ellen, who, with her nurturing heart, has proven to be not just a mere sister-in-law, but a trusted friend and counselor as well. My nieces and nephews have provided me with more joy than I can possibly express: Sara, with her spunky love of life and crazy sense of humor; Laura, with her sentimental soul and heartfelt intelligence; J.J., with his endearing smile and eagerness to make others happy; and Robby, a gentle spirit who has a profound way of reading meaning into life’s deepest mysteries.
To give a complete list of all the reasons why my life is blessed would take up this entire blog. But, in a nutshell, it boils down to health, happiness, love, and abundance. And, when I sit back and look at my life - my life as it is right now - I realize that I am extremely, unbelievably, and undeniably blessed.
0 comments:
Post a Comment