"The world is fairly studded and strewn with pennies cast broadside from a generous hand. But who gets excited by a mere penny?...It is dire poverty indeed when a man is so malnourished and fatigued that he won't stoop to pick up a penny. But if you cultivate a healthy poverty and simplicity, so that finding a penny will literally make your day, then, since the world is in fact planted with pennies, you have with your poverty bought a lifetime of days. It is that simple. what you see is what you get." ~Anne Dillard
A few of the small and wonderful things which bring untold joy into my life. It's the small things in life which truly mean the most. Simple abundance . . . it's the best.
Imaginations which turn cribs into boats that sail the wide blue seas and carry you on wild adventures to lands unknown! I can just hear their little voices. Oh how I miss being able to spend time with my grandchildren. My heart aches sometimes at the thought, but I am very grateful for modern technology which allows me small and wonderful things such as this in an instant. My cup runneth over.
I have no source for this photograph, but would gladly give it if I did. I found it on Pinterest. It is a beautiful photograph. I see so much in this. It touches my heart in a special way. It makes me think of gratitude. Gratitude should not just something you feel from time to time. It should be a way to live your life daily. There but for the Grace of God go I . . . and all that that entails. A reminder to self that it could always, ALWAYS be worse . . . and that for many people on earth it is worse. We, in the Western world, have much to be grateful for and most of us don't even know it.
When I look back on my life I am able to clearly see that all of my challenges have actually been wonderful opportunities and new possibilities, even if I didn't always see it at the time. This has been a lesson for me and I think I have finally learnt it. To be able to turn the sour into the sweet is a special blessing and I think I have that ability. Simple and wonderful.
Sometimes when we are sitting quietly, perhaps holding hands . . . I look up at my husband and my heart swells with tenderness and thanksgiving. How did I get to be so blessed?? He is so calm natured, and so kind hearted. So giving and caring. He is no Paul Newman, but then again I am not Raquel Welch . . . neither would I want us to be. I am glad that we are we. He loves the bones off me, and I off he. I wish that we could have had a family together . . . that would have been nice. Sometimes in life however . . . you just have to be happy for what you have. I wouldn't have it any other way. To be so loved is no small thing . . . but it is pretty wonderful.
Sometimes when I look at this life I am living I feel the need to pinch myself, and I am always happy that I do not wake up and find that it's all a dream. I truly am living the most amazingly beautiful life! If someone had told me when I found myself living in a rented bedroom in a stranger's house some 15 years ago or so that my life would ever be as good what it has ended up being, I would not have believed it. I could never have imagined that it could ever be so good, or so sweet. I have done and seen amazing things. I have been blessed in more ways than I could ever possibly count. I have achieved things I would never have dreamt of achieving. It's all been pretty amazing . . .
And it ain't over yet!
A thought to carry with you through today . . . .
♥´¯) ¸♫´¯)
(¸♫´ (¸.♥´´¯`•.¸¸.♫´¯`•.¸¸.♥
"Prayer is not asking.
It is a longing of the soul.
It is daily admission of one's weakness.
It is better in prayer
to have a heart without words
than words without a heart."
~Mahatma Gandhi
ღ ི♥ྀ ღ
(¯`v´¯)
`*.¸.*♡*✿ `*.¸.*♡.¸¸.♡ *
Cooking in The English Kitchen today . . . A Chopped Green Salad with a Grape Balsamic Dressing. Such fresh and beautiful flavours!
✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿
╬♥═╬╬═♥=╬╬═♥╬╬═♥╬╬═♥=╬╬♥═╬
░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
♥░H░A░V░E░♥░A░♥░B░E░A░U░T░I░F░U░L░♥░D░A░Y░♥
May it be filled to overflowing with small and wonderful things!
I always like to say ...the best is yet to be! Hope you have a wonderful Monday!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day Marie..
ReplyDeleteKids are cuties and hubby a Keeper:)!
You have wonderful days too Pam and Monique!
ReplyDeleteIt took me three times to get a keeper Monique! He was worth the wait! xxoo
I'm fairly sure that Todd feels the same. I am so happy that you found each other and are happy together. ♥ ♥ ♥
ReplyDeleteThe tyranny of physical distance is very hard on family members. But I agree that the advent of things like Skype and digital photos and video clips have helped with some of that. It's not as good as holding them in your arms, but it's so much more than the absent grandparents of a generation ago had. If only we had a pair of Dorothy's ruby slippers, eh?
Oh, my dear Marie, you do know how to turn sour into sweet. I always love your thoughts on this one. I think the picture of you and your sweet hubby is lovely. Those grandchildren of course, are adorable.
ReplyDeleteI wish my daughters lived closer because i really miss those little ones. It is great to have the technology of today so we can communicate and see them on skype.
Blessings for your sweet grateful thoughts.
Leann, thank you for your lovely comments. As always you are so kind and I appreciate it so very much.
ReplyDeleteMarie, I know, you too feel the same things about distance from family as you are so very far from yours also. Modern technology does help to take the sting away!