Everyday Miracles

Speaking of wonders, have you ever celebrated everyday miracles? Like your heartbeat? Like breathing? Things we take for granted: your spouse, your children, your friends, pets and nature around us? What about something as seemingly simple as a paperclip? I think these are all everyday miracles. Why? Can you make a person, a tree, a paperclip? What if the world had to start over again? The things that make our lives easy would not be there. The effort and creativity that goes into getting goods to markets is astonishing and I am grateful everyday for what I have and the people around me. What treasures!

I went hiking on Skyline Drive this morning. It was spectacular. We picked a place called Dark Hollow Falls. It is a trail I frequent in the summer. Never have I seen an abundance of water because summer tends to be a bit dry but today was different. It was a cool sunny day, the leaves were at their peak and the vistas were bursting in color. You could see the Alleghenies across the valley from Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge and you could even see the Shenandoah River snaking its way through the countryside below.

The Dark Hollow Falls trail was at its finest. The usually slow, trickling brook that feeds the falls was rushing like a small river in a hurry to get somewhere and it started at the top. All along the trail there were mini-falls and pools to delight the eye, teaming with colorful brook trout tirelessly swimming against the currents. This was the first time I had ever seen fish in the stream. The stream coursed along like a bobsled run and entertained with steep plummets of more than 50 -100 feet at times. It was delightful. But the most amazing thing I saw on the trail was an elderly man with a crutch on each arm and a bum leg. He started at the top with us. We asked him if he planned on going far and he said all the way! Sure enough he made the mile and a half steep trek up and back despite slippery leaves and rocky terrain. His spirit was a true inspiration. That was the miracle that affected me most today. We take so much for granted - like our health and life circumstances. Would I be as graceful as that fine man who was determined to enjoy the world no matter what?

Wow!

With that I would like to invite you to participate  in a 21 Days of Gratitude Meditation (Celebration) sponsored by Depak Chopra. It appropriately starts in November - the time for Thanksgiving. You can sign up for it on the link below.

http://www.mentorschannel.com/LouieSchwartzberg/Gratitude/LandingPage2/1186/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=SG_Gratitude_Blast_17_10_13