I opened the blinds of my bedroom and saw that the tree across the street has leaves. The last time I had really looked at it, it was bare although its limbs were swollen like a pregnant woman ready to give birth or so it seemed to me. Then while I was not looking, the leaves burst forth. Somehow, I must have this belief that life does not happen unless it has my permission. I was grateful for that glance of a tree having a life not giving me a thought. We certainly get mired down into our egotistical nonsense or at least I do.
I looked at the distant and saw other trees all bursting into leaf. Ah, my gratitude glance for the day although it was mixed in with some memories of the past when there were other early days of spring and I was in other places and other situations. I saw a golden sky that on second glance was not there this morning. It is overcast.
Yesterday, my gratitude glance involved seeing the beautiful rock formations along a road where I happened to be and glancing up from driving along a tree lined road. The sky was blue with large white clouds. It had rained the night before and everything as usual looked so fresh and clean and I could smell it as I had the car window down. Hay fever did not bother me yesterday as it normally does. I am hoping this is a trend.
There is a Buddhist Retreat in France, Plum Village, where everyone is greeted with "Congratulations, you have arrived." I think it is a good greeting when the sun comes up in the morning. I say this as a senior citizen and if I had thought this as a younger person I would think I was drinking the cooking sherry. I think I was made for 'gratitude glances' because I have so many of them. I am also enjoying being a senior than any part of my life with the exception of watching my children grow up.
No comments:
Post a Comment