The beauty of autumn foliage evokes a visual play of colors. Festive hues of red, orange, gold and yellow elicit responses of passion, love, joy, happiness and excitement. Our eyes absorb the exquisite presence of autumn, her striking and enchanting beauty. Over time, the brilliance of her leaves begins to fade and the leaves fall, and then the cycle begins. It is a process for renewal and growth.
Autumn in her festivity is a reminder of harvesting. It is a time of her fruitful gathering of vegetables. What’s more, on the fourth day in November we give blessing for the harvest and the preceding year. Our focus is on family reunions, communion of friendships, and lavish foods. Thanksgiving Day is symbolic of gratitude, as we pay tribute and appreciation for what we have in life.
Gratitude is the magical ingredient that heals us from within. It can change and transform any experience. It adds happiness, richness and value to our lives. When we hold every experience in gratitude, we manifest appreciation and give light to awareness and understanding. Our transparency allows us to stay in grace and flow in harmony. It captures the significance rather than controlling its outcome. Gratitude is awe-inspiring and power shifting. It shifts our ego to a place of serenity. It literally lifts our spirit.
True freedom starts with relinquishing one’s perceptions as good or bad, positive or negative. Life only becomes a sacrifice when we assign such attributes as struggling and suffering. When we embrace life as simply soul lessons, our skewed vision becomes one of clarity. We begin to accept, appreciate and love life. Celebrate every experience in gratitude.
Celebrate Thanksgiving Day, the harvest, the festival of life by expressing thanks for all life has offered you!
Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. ~ Melody Beattie