Everyday Blessings

This morning as I stuffed my 14-day pill organizer with multi-vitamins, fish oil capsules, vitamin C and D and calcium- a certain mindfulness overtook me.  "Sunday...Monday...Tuesday...Wednesday....God please bless my body on each of these days. Thank you for these vitamins that you've given me to enhance my health. And thank you for the weeks ahead. I don't know what's in store for me on each of these days--but You do."

Then I thought about the Japanese people. Two weeks ago their lives were  quite ordinary. Maybe a woman- a wife and mother, a grandmother like me was filling her pill organizer and thinking that her life would go on as usual. But today instead of taking her vitamins--she may be scrambling for water and shelter, trying to shield herself from nuclear fallout and perhaps searching for missing loved ones.

"Lord, thank you for the ordinary-ness of my life. For electricity in my home. For this glass of  clean, clear water I'm drinking with my vitamins. Thanks that I know where my children and husband are; and for phone and internet service that enables me to communicate with them whenever I wish. Thanks for the warmth blowing out from the furnace ducts and the coziness of my little house. Thanks for the coziness of my little world."

Like a dangling watch swinging back and forth in pendulum fashion; the repetition of our days can hypnotize us.  We walk through life in a trance; uable to see and feel the blessedness that surrounds us. And then, Snap! The trance is broken. We awaken to see horrifying photos of people trying to cope with monstrous problems-struggling to put their shattered lives back into order. And like one suddenly awakened we look around and see again; as if for the first time; all of the goodness in our lives. And we are grateful for small things. Which are really big things. We just forgot about them...until now.

And so...

May you have -

Walls for the wind

And a roof for the rain,

And drinks bedside the fire

Laughter to cheer you

And those you love near you,

And all that your heart may desire

Celtic Blessing

Blessings to you, wherever you are; and especially if you are in Japan.