An up close shot of a little viola (or violet) in our yard. I love examining the little things up close!
It’s Friday and you know what that means! Poetry in Five! Today’s word is GRATEFUL. This one flowed out so easily for me, but I wrote a free verse poem this week. Gratitude is one of my life’s practices and one of my favorite subjects :). I found it ironic that today’s word was Grateful, because just 2 days ago in an online workshop I am teaching, one of the ice-breaking games we did was going around in a circle and sharing what we were grateful for. It was such a fun and beautiful experience. There is something about not only stating your own gratitude, but hearing others state theirs as well, that I find powerful. It is so good for the soul. So without further ado, here is my 5 minute Poem:
Everything is a Miracle!
Every Year
Every Day
Every Minute
Every Moment
is a Miracle.
How can we NOT be grateful?
Every baby
Every child
Every person
Every creature-
a Miracle.
Life is like a prayer,
A living Meditation.
I walk throughout my days Noticing.
Everything.
How can I NOT be grateful?
How can each colorful flower,
each towering tree,
each delicate blade of grass,
Each rare rainbow-
go unnoticed?
How can we spend life with heads in the sand
and heavy hearts-
When there is so much beauty to behold?
Earth’s heartbeat pulses with the rhythm of LIFE
and our hearts beat in sync with it.
The tick-tock of the clock reminds us of Time-
and to not take it for granted.
We were put here in this space and time for a reason,
He makes no mistakes.
And all of this beauty is ours to behold.
These gifts freely given,
Our heaven on earth.
And He is at the center of it all.
How can we NOT be grateful?
What will we do with what we are given?
Will we waste our days too hurried or too downtrodden to notice?
Or Will we live life as if everything is a miracle!
As I walk through my days Noticing-
Familiar faces
of Flowers,
Friends,
Family,
Neighbors,
Kindred spirits and
Creatures,
How can I NOT be grateful?
I am a living, breathing Miracle,
Witnessing the multitude of living, breathing miracles around me.
This is what connects us.
Life is like a prayer-
A living meditation.
And I bow my head in gratitude for it all.
© Rebekah Ann Stephenson 2014
Right here. Right now. What are you grateful for? What Miracles do you see around you? Won’t you start a gratitude habit with me? Please leave your answer in the comments below.
Here’s to living inspired! ~Rebekah
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Hi Rebekah, I’m linking up from FMF and I must say I needed this right now. My own five had me really down and this post is a reminder that through all the sadness I’m feeling right now there is something to marvel at. Thank you.
Hi Vernette! I read your FMF (Need to pop over and leave a comment) and I am sorry for your pain. Life can be so difficult and sad at times, which is why gratitude is something that I practice (it helps a lot!). I am glad that this post was able to help you some. You are so welcome. I hope you are having a good week!
Hi Rebekah. Beautiful words!!! Thank you! So much to be grateful for, every breath and every heartache. Sammy (FMF)
Hi Sammy! Thank YOU and you are so welcome. YES! So much to be grateful for. I like how you even included heartache in that. What a great perspective! 🙂
A beautiful uplifting reminder. Thank you!
Thank you Lizzy! <3
My family always says what we are grateful for, but only at Thanksgiving- it should be a more regular occurrence. One of my favorites was my sister-in-law, who said she was grateful we didn’t live in a natural disaster prone area. Good one – I thought. No hurricanes, not on a fault line, not prone to tornados…not too bad!
I so agree with you on the regular occurrence part. I think it is pretty common for most people to focus on gratitude on days like Thanksgiving , but not so much as a daily way of life. I second your gratitude sharing here today. We don’t live in a disaster prone area either and that really IS something to be grateful for! Thank you for stopping by and sharing your gratitude <3.
I am most grateful (great-full) for my breath. That is the biggest miracle that I can feel immediately and joyfully. Even when I’m sad or overwhelmed, my breath keeps giving Creator’s love to me. A reminder of what a gift it is to be alive…and then time slows down….the moment unfolds. And I breathe again.
Ah. SO beautiful Denise. Thank you for sharing your beauty and your gratitude here today! <3