Thanking the UnThankable

Four years ago, I had an idea

to begin a blog. And I did.

Then first piece was titled Great / Full.

This writing path has meandered,

but has found its way back.

It began with gratefulness

and here I am, four years and

two hundred three blogs later.

Still grateful.

Still thankful.

I have a daily practice of reading and journaling. This morning, I looked back over my weekly journals and noticed a theme developing. This week I wrote about the peace prayer and how I can be an instrument of peace in my daily living. I wrote about action and contemplation, and how I can better hold the paradox of doing and being. I wrote about loving our neighbors as ourselves and how I can better care for myself and others. I wrote about being a participant in life and creative living as we all share the DNA of our Creative Father. I wrote about the fundamentals of optimal living and how I can better eat and move and sleep and breathe and focus and celebrate and prosper. I wrote about living on the edge of the inside (Rohr) and standing at the door (Shoemaker) as I navigate the path between darkness and light. And finally, I wrote about how I can thank the unthankables in my life.

Who are the unthankables? Right now, they are the writers and authors I'm reading. The men and women who have poured our their hearts and have poured countless hours into their writing. They have wrestled and struggled and have spent years developing a gift, to me. To us. In a few hundred pages, I can glean wisdom that took years to develop and articulate. In a few hours, I can see into the heart and soul of someone committed to finding and sharing a lesson or truth. And I have received this gift with no way to thank the creator.

So how can we givers of these gift? Not just the givers of words, but the givers who have given their life to create and build and maintain and sustain the world we live in. The participants in life who love their neighbors with action and who care for themselves with contemplation. How do we thank the countless people who have contributed to our own wellbeing? It seems the best way to thank the unthankable is to participate. To create. To do and to be. To navigate life and help others do the same. To love our neighbors. To give our gifts. To be grateful and thankful. To give others something to help them be grateful and thankful.

So back to this idea I had,

four years ago,

the day before Thanksgiving.

I decided to create,

to meander,

and to be grateful.

Now here I am,

four years later,

still grateful,

and still thankful

for the thankable

and the unthankable.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash