Gratitude is the Key

Hi everyone,

We had a great conversation the other night about the Second Love in our Community Covenant, love of creation.  Each "love" has a general statement followed by some specific commitments we aim at to give flesh to the love.  The second love begins with cultivating gratitude, and only then moves toward the various forms of caring for the created world.

As we talked, I got how inspired that order is.  I need to start from gratitude for what I have if I am to accept that I have enough.  I need to notice how much I have, how my needs are met, in order to make room to make choices that cost more in time and money.  So gratitude is really the key to sustained action.

Without gratitude, commitments like buying organic or composting or not buying certain things can just sound like deprivation.  The old Christian messages of renunciation are waiting to beat myself up with, or to flee.  But gratitude gives me a different starting place, so I can choose with confidence and freedom.

I make a gratitude list every day.  It doesn't take long, but it's a good way to start the day.  So for this month, I'm going to try to share with you each day some of the things I'm grateful for.  I'd love to hear your gratitudes in response.  If I'm away some days, please feel free to fill in the gap!

Today I'm grateful for Shadow, our cat, running across the lawn and up a tree in play.
I'm grateful for the breeze blowing through the warm day.
I'm grateful for my ministry of spiritual direction, and for my directees.
I'm grateful for all of you who read and respond and pray and minister where you are.

That's a start.
Enjoy your day!