November, a time to turn up the attitude of gratitude ...

 Welcome to November ...

feel free to print and use for your personal enjoyment ~ peace

When we focus on our gratitude, the tide of disappointment goes out & the tide of love rushes in.

Kristin Armstrong

thank you & peace,

Virginia

Practice Gratitude today and EVERYday!!!! It is good for your health ...

'dress of plenty ...' (2012) westwood, MA

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  

Besides celebrating a quality that I feel is quintessential to one's quality of life ~ gratitude; it is also a holiday that most everyone celebrates.  I love this because for the weeks leading up to the big day I can wholeheartedly wish everyone a "Happy Thanksgiving'.  This is not true with many of the other big holidays.   And I enjoy spreading the concept of gratefulness especially during this growing frenzy of materialism, aka black friday, but that is for another post. But for now let us remember to be grateful, practice gratitude today and everyday ...

it is good for you, your health, your life, your loved ones and all of us!!!

Thank you & peace, va

Why Gratitude is Good, by Robert A. Emmons

From Robert A. Emmons, Ph.D.’s book, Thanks!…

“When the well-being of participants int he gratitude group was compared to the control group. a strong and consistent pattern appeared: The gratitude group was still enjoying benefits six months later. They were experiencing more positive emotions, were more satisfied with their lives, felt better about their lives as a whole, and continued to feel more connected to others.  Even though the experiment they had participated in terminated nearly six months before, they maintained levels of overall well-being that were nearly 25% higher than persons in the control condition.  The evidence contradicts the widely help view that all people have a set-point of happiness that cannot be reset by any known means : in some cases, people have reported that gratitude led to transformative life changes.”

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A day to be tHanKfuL!!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  

Besides celebrating a quality that I feel is quintessential to one's quality of life ~ gratitude; it is also a holiday that most everyone celebrates.  I love this because for the weeks leading up to the big day I can wholeheartedly wish everyone a "Happy Thanksgiving'.  This is not true with many of the other big holidays.   And I enjoy spreading the concept of gratefulness especially during this growing frenzy of materialism, aka black friday, but that is for another post.  

the dress of plenty - westwood, ma

So on this day, we all take a moment to be grateful and take note of all the ways in which we are blessed.  To celebrate this day I took to the woods ~ to delight in the wonders of nature.  And today, in the Boston area, Mother Nature put on her Sunday best for the day.  The weather was exquisite and I was blessed to have the time to amble through some beautiful woodlands.  

I also made a dress!!!

In the area that I settled after my walk, the ground was covered with acorn tops.  These precious caps immediately caught my attention and as I pondered them in my hands I was amazed at their intricate pattern.  I was also taken by their similarity to a breast, nipple and all.  And soon I found myself gathering dozens and constructing a dress right there in the warmth of the brilliant Thanksgiving sun.  

note the beautiful patterns on these caps

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When the dress was finally finished it was composed of piles of these little treasures, and taking in consideration of the day of its creation, I called it the dress of plenty. 

Everyday I try to life with the intention of thankfulness; to be aware and present to all the gifts that life offers me, even if they are at times cloaked in sadness or strife. 

This thought makes me think of Rumi's poem, The Guest House, with which I will close this post.  

Wishing all a wonderful day of gratitude & peace ~

THE GUEST HOUSE

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.

Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

-- Jelaluddin Rumi,
    translation by Coleman Barks