Gratitude in Little Ways

I recently saw this quote on a placard in a gift store and it has really stuck with me:


"What if you woke up in the morning and only had what you were grateful for yesterday"

That got me thinking in depth for a long time.  A lot of the most influential teachers of our time having been hammering the gratitude concept for a long time now.  Louise Hay and Oprah are two household names who really believe in being grateful for even the smallest things, and the quote above reminded me how deep gratitude can go. I have so much to be grateful for even when the World around seems to be dancing a different dance to what I am used to.

Most of my pondering happens when I'm out hiking with my dogs and camera.  It seems the World can speak to me through my Lens easier this way, the left brain steps back to let the right brain take over for a while. 

How ordinary and often overlooked is this little sparrow?  They are all over the world and they are survivors.  They don't have the pretty plumage of most other species and therefore really don't stand out in a crowd, unless they are in a crowd of their own dominating the bird feeders.  Then they are noticed with irritation for hogging all the feed and not allowing the 'prettier' birds a chance to eat.

White-crowned Sparrow

This little fellow posed for me in a Juniper bush and allowed to take two or three nice pictures before it departed.  What's more Sparrow was so close that I was almost too close to get a clear shot! After reading my quote and pondering it, I thought maybe my just-a-cute-little-sparrow may appreciate my giving it some importance:  officially this is White-crowned Sparrow (juvenile).
At least this is the title us humans have bestowed upon it.

So, little one, thank you for so graciously posing for me and making my day!

I'm linking this to ABC WEDNESDAY.  This week we're up to "W".  Follow the link to more ABC's.

I'm also linking this to Michelle's Nature Notes at the Rambling Woods blog.

Moving, Moving, Moving

It's been quite a year for me and I'm not yet half way through it.  Oh, my!

Once again I'm settling into a new home. There has been plenty of opportunity for me to go down "Freak Out Lane" as this is my forth home since January.  Plans are made, then they disintegrate before my eyes; what seems solid proves to be an illusion, so walking the path of faith and gratitude seems to be what I'm required to do, at least for the moment.

As always, the World is communicating with me through my Lens - when I take time to notice, of course!  It's been very interesting as I haven't had a regular internet connection, and so without the distraction that goes with internet surfing, I'm finding myself being grounded and in the present moment.  Paying attention to the moment and being grateful to friends, family and circumstances in my life.

Sundown in the desert.

Mesquite flowers

Chilling in the park

Chilling in the stream

Right now, the only 'now' I have, the World shows me all is well in my world.

                                          

Gratitude and Platitudes

A joyful in-the-moment kinda guy.

Thanksgiving 2010 is one I'll be remembering for a while.

I learned that my being in gratitude can simply be another politically correct platitude.  Something I can parrot with the best of them.  The World had a message about gratitude for me these past few days, and quite a hard-hitting message it was.

My much loved dog came down with an intestinal disorder about a week before Thanksgiving and after the second trip to the vet I realized this wasn't necessarily going to be an easy fix.  There also loomed the possibility that there wouldn't be any fix at all.  I quickly came to the understanding of just how difficult it can be to stay out of fear and be in gratitude, the very thing we seemed to be asked to do a lot in these trying times.

Finally, as of last night, Fuzzy got his spark back and this morning he is close to normal again.

A special thanks to a vet who cared so much about Fuzzy as to call me for a progress report on Thanksgiving morning.