Some Gratitude

I have a quote in the entry of my home which reads, "Gratitude is the sign of noble souls." I chose it because it reminds me of the people in my life that I consider to be noble. I recognize gratitude as a common element of their characters. They have the sense that they have been watched over carefully and they express it. I feel some of that today, myself. Most likely, the fact that I am able to sit quietly, read, and write without interruption has a great deal to do with that feeling. My Dad used to take pictures of us sleeping. I didn't quite understand his motivation until I had children of my own and experienced the joy that their sleep brought me. As much as I love them, as beautiful as they are, when they are sleeping I am reminded that I am at my core a single individual and that I still exist as a whole unit, all by myself. That I can feel happy, grateful to be living my life at this time in my life, seems almost a miracle to me. The difficulties are mountainous, but you know that feeling you get when you are out hiking around in nature? It can be physically strenuous, but it is also exhilarating at times. Coming out of a dense grove of trees, then catching a glimpse of clear blue sky or a bubbling brook can be wondrous. Life has been very forested lately. Glimpses of sky have been very few. At times it has seemed as though thickets of briars and thorns grew up around me so quickly that I could hardly move without running into something painful. Tonight I feel much relieved of life's weighty issues. I feel quite free and my heart feels light and easy. I know how to truly appreciate that feeling now. I know how to be grateful for just a moment's contentment and the chance to sit quietly by myself. I think I'm growing up. Thank Heaven for that.