Daily Inspiration 8-20-19

"When you are grateful-- 

when you can see what you have-- 

you unlock blessings to flow into your life." 

-- Suze Orman 

New: Listen to the audio version here.

[Classic post from 3-12-15]

Many people just aren't ready for gratitude to be bestowed on them. Instead, they are more ready for an explanation, justification, being prepared for an attack, and apprehensive of others, their motives, their agendas, and such. And little do they know that such joy and gratitude lay just beyond the horizon of their view.

Yesterday I briefly mentioned being aware, or as Eckhart Tolle calls it, becoming awake, or having an awakening. All that means is that you open up to a much wider view than you had before. We go about our lives sometimes in oblivion. Not paying attention to anything more important than getting there quickly, getting our needs met, and getting on with it. So, who has time for gratitude? And, really, who means it when they say it anyway? That stuff is for weirdoes.

Welcome to the world of weirdo's. I am on the board of directors of this group. I rejoice in my weirdness. Weirdo's rule!

I love this quote by Jack Kornfield, who said, "Those who are awake live in a constant state of amazement." Even a year or two ago, I might have thought that this sounded good, but I wouldn't have been able to relate very well. Even though I've grown and let go and become so much more, that statement was a little hard to swallow.

No more.

I'm beginning to live my life exactly like that--in a constant state of amazement. And, I have to tell you that it is beyond wonderful, totally joyful, and extremely uplifting.

I was just driving home this afternoon from an appointment and I found myself thanking the State of California in my mind for the adjustment they made to the onramp at the Alamo Drive westbound onramp. It used to be scary and a problem, and now it is a total breeze, and way safer. Then I was thanking God for the bit of rain we had today. It wasn't much, but it helped clear the air, create strong fragrances that are so delightful just after a bit of rain, the green grass on the typically brown hillsides, the feel of the day as it was totally delighting me.

Then I was thanking the State again for this wonderful freeway that they have done so much work on to improve. It used to be so bumpy and now that is gone.

I was being thankful for the great car I was driving, how reliable and comfortable it has been and it still runs like the day I bought it. I looked over at Charlie totally enjoying the smell of the air and the breeze flowing over him in the seat next to me.

Some might think I've become silly, and they are right. I am. I'm silly with joy much of the time in almost every circumstance.

Yesterday, we signed up an auto dealer for our Trend Setter Package to be of service helping expand their relatively new commercial truck department. I was telling the main contact how grateful and excited I was to have them join us because I have wanted this for a long time. It is in the same city I live in and the same city where years ago I built a huge and massively successful commercial truck department, but it fell to ashes and no one ever picked up the ball. Now, this is the right dealer to do that and I am more than thrilled to be of service toward a very successful end.

I am almost in constant gratitude as I drive around, as I sit at my computer, which I do a lot, looking out the window at the sky, looking around the room at my things and how grateful I am to have had them, as well as grateful to let them go.

I think about my wife now passed a year and a half or so and am so grateful to have been a part of her life. I know that she is still with me, though just not physically. She is also in a far better place now. She too is in constant joy and love and I delight in that fact. She left me her dog, Charlie to take care of, and Charlie and I have become inseparable. He is a delight to me and my wife knew that he would be, even though it seemed like he hated me when she was here. So protective, he was. (Yoda talk).

Well, I could go on for days with what I am grateful for. The world is chock full of delight when you see it that way. Are you growing in gratitude? Are you seeing the miraculous in the everyday? Toilet paper, towels, hot showers, running water, ice without opening the refrigerator, microwave ovens, concrete, clouds, rain, snow, weather, sunshine, a light breeze, music. OMG! It's everywhere. And, most of it is free or costs little. Just look around with eyes of gratitude and you will be amazed.


It Was All There Before, But Now It Has Changed. Or, Was It Me? 

Spread Some Joy Today--by seeing the joy that surrounds and fills your life just waiting for you to acknowledge it.