Gratitude

Life is gift.  We don't always experience it this way, but at the heart of human experience, is that life is gift.  At the beginning of time for us humans, God breathed into us and gave us life.  Communion with him was possible.  We weren't afraid ourselves at this time, we were a slave to worry.  It wasn't about who comes out on top, but rather about a shared love.  This love defined us.  We didn't need to self medicate, or move so fast to drown out the hurt inside of ourselves.  Life was truly gift, and truly good. Reflecting on this can be helpful.  Before we had the chance for pain or to be hurt we were instilled with life.  Before we were confused, frustrated, angry, alone, we were cherished, delighted in, held.  In the midst of our pain, to pause and remember this was never the way it was meant to be can bring some relief.  We were not created for pain, it does not define us.  The messages it tells us are never the final say.

Knowing this about our beginnings can provide some direction to our future.  If I wasn't meant for pain, am not meant for it now, or never will be meant for it than I can have more confidence to live into a full life, to accept life as gift.  I can better plan a healthy and wholesome life for myself.  I can accept grace because this was always my true home.  In my mental map of my life and I can allow myself to move into space where more gratitude is present, because when I look back I see that each moment is gift, each to be enjoyed, each to be built upon.  Also, we can let go of hurts and hangups more easily because these neither were what we were made for.  They are unfortunate things that happened along the way, but in the end will not last.  The anger in my heart isn't the truest identity of who I am, and therefore I can deal with it and let it go.

So let us move toward gratitude.  Let us live fully, engaging ourselves in the quest for fullness, for celebration.  After all, we are celebrated more than we can celebrate ourselves.