Gratitude

On the morning of my last full day on retreat, I awoke feeling very grateful and wrote this prayer/poem.

From deep within
flows this feeling of awesome gratitude and wonder.

For storms that clear the air, and rainbows that follow.
Really, I saw one last night!

For trees that dance in the wind, not afraid to break - and if they do they will gladly become firewood.

For gifts given and shared.

For hope-filled people who dance in the wind themselves, not afraid to break -and if they do they will have lived life fully.

Speaking of life, for life itself. The beauty of creation, the depth of tears, the memories of light and laughter and love.

For the dreams that we dream together.

For the chance to live, to grow, to wonder, to be, to make mistakes even.

Maybe this is what it means ...
To see as God sees.
To love as God loves.
To be as God is.

Grateful.

Shortly after I wrote this prayer/poem I went out for my morning walk. On the door was a sign that said "The apple tree near the labyrinth did not survive the storm. It will be taken down this afternoon." I thought of the line in my prayer/poem about trees dancing in the wind and if they break, gladly becoming firewood. For our friend the apple tree, this is indeed what happened that day!