Gratitude Meditation.

   Keeping with the spirit of the season,  I thought it would be good to show some gratitude and thanks giving for the many, many blessings in my life and share a simple meditation that allows one to perform a quick "check up from the neck up" if you will.

   Make a short list, say about a dozen, of the the things that you are grateful for.  Take a few minutes to feel thankful for and ponder what blessings each one of the items on your list brings into your life.  As you feel the appreciation and gratitude, you will feel a release of stress as the complications, situations and challenges in your life become insignificant compared to your blessings.

Here is my list.

My lovely wife, best friend and companion.
My dear friends that wear the title of my children.
Breath, health and activity.
Employment and professional purpose to give refinement and reflection to my days.
The privilege to meet new people each day and to become acquainted with their marvelous points of view.
My many online friends whose blogs I read and enjoy, the many visits and comments they make on mine.
The friends who challenge me to find new ways to communicate this fire that burns within me, to share ideas and vision with others about the immense and magical event we share called LIFE!

   Remember, problems only exist in your head where you can't do anything about them.  Situations are what you have when you are faced with a challenge in the present moment.  Don't confuse problems with situations.  One is in your head, one is what you deal with and work through in your daily life.

   May you find out how blessed you are as you make your list.  May you show love and appreciation to God/Creation and others for your many, many blessings!  May you find peace in the acknowledgement of your blessings.  May you be in awe of the innumerable blessings you never even realize!!!

  What is the most unusual item that turned up on your list?

Peace, Love and Gratitude to you, your family and those within the circle of your presence.

Billy B.

Life is a Ride...

   Life is a ride.  The day will come for each of us when we must look inside ourselves and realize that it is not about us.

   Ask anyone who has truly lived, they will tell you that the moments of greatest impact in their lives, the moments of greatest joy and love have all occurred when they where focused on doing something greater than themselves.  Whether it is a simple act of kindness or being part of some greater cause or assisting someone else to believe in them self or to helping them to see the bigger picture or even helping them take care of their basic needs so that they no longer have all of their attention on poverty of spirit or means.  This is when fulfillment happens.  When we become what we are created to be.

   The greatest gift you can give to anyone is being completely present when you are with them.  Presence is a marvelous thing that defies the laws of physics and fulfills the laws of spirit.  The more you give it away and share it with others, the more of it you have!  The more it grows the more it becomes contagious and blesses all who experience your presence, even if they themselves are not yet ready for it.  It's like planting seeds. The seed is now there until the day that they are the fertile ground for it to grow and develop in.

  That is the beauty of being on this ride.  There is a song that Garth Brooks sings called "The Dance".  Some of the lyrics of the song expresses for me how much of an incredible ride this life can be.  Being a ride, we cannot know the outcome or where it will lead us, we simply choose to either enjoy it or not.  I know which I choose.

And now I'm glad I didn't know

The way it all would end the way it all would go 

Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain 

But I'd of had to miss the dance 

   This particular song was at the top of the charts when our first daughter was born.  She did not stay with us for the whole day before she left.  I still have a hard time listening to this song in public.  I am sure glad that she came and blessed our lives with her presence, no matter how brief.

   Some of the greatest blessings of my life have come from her visit.  I began my path to greater awareness of  presence and inner peace because of her influence and the not always gentle nudges that life has given me.

   I am thankful for every breath!  I am grateful to know presence!  I love life and could not, not live it having the perspective I do now.

   May you live a fabulous day!  May you be grateful for all you meet this fine day and may you share this gratitude with someone who needs to feel it.

Grace and love to you,

Billy B.