Category Archives: gratitude

Stop. Look. Listen 6-17-20

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Stop! Look! Listen! The universe is always speaking to us.

I saw this beautiful rainbow tonight. So beautiful I got out of my car to take a picture. As I was taking the picture I noticed the stop sign. At the same time my phone buzzed with a reminder I have on my phone to buzz me throughout the day as a reminder “Something Wonderful Is About To Happen”. I have this reminder because life happens sometimes. Life can feel
Super crazy. For me this is a great reminder to always expect something wonderful.

Just when things get a little overwhelming, the universe steps in causing me to stop, look and the next thing I know my phone buzzes and causes me to listen. At that moment I am reminded “Something Wonderful Is About To Happen”.

Tonight it was a beautiful rainbow. Life is good and the good news is The Universe Has My Back always providing me with something wonderful. I just have to Stop, Look and Listen.

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Even On A Bad Day Life Is Good 8-11-19

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I love this quote and can certainly relate. I remember living in San Francisco. I was going through chemo treatments while living with Mephistopheles in the flesh. My life sucked. I had cancer. I was enduring treatment with zero support. I couldn’t work. I was financially challenged. In short, my life sucked!!!

My priest encouraged me to do some volunteer work in the hopes it would help with the depression and sadness I was feeling at that time. I ended up volunteering at the shelter at our church. I’ll never forget the first day I went. I was feeling sorry for myself. Life sucked or so I thought. Our guests were all waiting in line outside to come in for a warm meal. That day I met some of the kindest people I’d ever met in my life. I had never met so many people with so much gratitude. All of them were homeless living on a sidewalk, a park etc. Geez, they had nothing other than a place to go to for a warm meal. Most of these people exuded so much joy and happiness. They supported one another and were so grateful for the help they were receiving.

That day was so humbling for me. I had cancer. Life sucked yet I had a place to live in a great part of the city. I had food to eat. Clothes to wear. The list goes on. I had cancer. My partner was an unsupportive and extremely mean person. I was facing my battle all alone yet I was in better shape than the guests that were at the shelter that day. I found myself so ashamed of myself. I realized just how blessed I was yet so ungrateful. I went to the back room that day and began to cry. Sister Lois came in as I was crying. She said the same words to me me written on this quote. I had so much to be grateful for yet until that day I hadn’t recognized just how blessed I was. That day changed my perspective forever.

We all go through hard times. Life sucks sometimes. However, no matter what we are going through there is always someone experiencing something worse. Count your blessings. Sometimes it’s hard to do but if we don’t how in the world can we expect a bigger blessing? I remember hearing someone say “every morning when my feet touch the floor I know it’s a great day!” Isn’t that the truth? I often find myself feeling sorry for myself and when I do, God sends me a little reminder that no matter the circumstances I am truly blessed. We all are.

Somewhere Someone Is Facing A Harder Battle 5-9-19

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I’ve seen this before and every time I read the words it reminds me of how true this statement is. I will never forget when I was battling cancer. I was really feeling sorry for myself. No job, financially bankrupt, my hair, eyebrows, eyelashes and toe nails had fallen out. At the time I found myself feeling like my world was over. Father Michael encouraged me to volunteer at the homeless shelter at my church. I agreed.

My first day I received the greatest blessing ever. A huge dose of humble pie. All of our guests who were lined up outside came in to have breakfast. I had never met so many people who exuded more gratitude than those people I met that day. They had nothing. They were living in the park and yet their gratitude was overwhelming. I found myself feeling overwhelmed with a feeling that reminded me of just how ungrateful I had been. I couldn’t hold back the tears so I went to the back room and cried my eyes out. That day changed my life forever. I see others with a compassionate heart. Every time I feel sorry for myself I think of the wonderful people I met that day. Hence, a reminder there are always others who’s story is worse than mine.

Gratitude 11-22-18

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Today is Thanksgiving. A day when you’re surrounded by family. Turkey on the table while giving thanks for all the many blessings. Especially family. Today it’s just me and my mom. My kids are spending their thanksgiving elsewhere. No family, no kids, no grandkids for my mother and I to surround the table. With that in mind, my mother and I opted not to buy a turkey. In fact, we aren’t preparing a thanksgiving meal today. For us, today is just another day. However, despite the lack of all the fixings that surround this special day, I still find myself thankful.

I received the following email this morning from Rhonda Byrne, author of the Secret. It reminded me of the many things I’m grateful for.

“Gratitude is not bound by time and space, it’s dimensionless.  When you’re grateful that energy radiates both near and far simultaneously, which means your individual gratitude reaches the entire planet and beyond.

 Let’s join forces and radiate gratitude to every circumstance and event that crosses our path today, and to everyone we meet.  And then let’s set an intention that we will carry even more gratitude with us going forward into every day!

 Gratitude is your power to change anything, through the simple act of being thankful!

 Rhonda Byrne

The Secret…. bringing joy and gratitude to billions.“

Not long ago my life was in complete disarray. It’s not perfect today however, life is so much better than it was. I have three awesome young adult children who I’m proud of. I have two amazing grandchildren. I’m not rich. In fact, my finances are rather compromised but I have a roof over my head. I have a cozy bed to sleep in. My room has an awesome flat screen tv that allows me the luxury of watching Hallmark. I have a car. I still struggle with my health but I have a great health care team and I have insurance. I’m not lying on a beach somewhere basking in the sun but I’m alive! These things may not seem like much but to me it’s a blessing. I’m thankful to God for every thing he’s provided me with.

I continue to pray for a new beginning. A life filled with abundance again. A life filled with peace, love and joy. The truth is, life is what you make it. Find the gratitude in every day. There’s always something to be grateful for. And remember you can have all the material wealth you desire however, at the end of the day, you can’t take it with you. My dad used to say “I’ve never seen a u-haul behind a Hearst” he was right. Find the gratitude in every day. Every moment and spread that gratitude to others.

Thank you to all my readers who have taken the time to read my blog these past few years. Thank you for taking this journey with me. Life isn’t always without challenges. I should know. If there’s been a challenge or trial to be had, I’ve been center stage but you know what? Life is good. Every day we are able to open our eyes and experience yet another day in this crazy thing called life, it’s another day god has blessed us to enjoy life with the living. Have an awesome day and a blessed thanksgiving.

Table Of Plenty 11-20-18

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Food is a symbol of our gratitude to God and our mutual appreciation for one another. It is a commodity to share as well as an expression of how much we care. Feeding the hungry is a virtue that must never be forgotten, dining with friends a value we cherish all the more. It is good to celebrate those moments—rare as they may be—where companionship around the table becomes a form of communion, where fantastic food seals friendships, where our vitality and our spirituality truly “wine and dine” together.

—from the book Table of Plenty: Good Food for Body and Spirit