Gratitude

During the rain. During the pandemic. During the holidays. Easy to float away. Get lost in our heads - my head at least. Thick in the fog of loss and grief.

But who wants easy? Nah.

“The difficult, I’ll do right now!” Crazy He Calls Me.

Growing up as a little girl when I’d be sad or feel forlorn - like the world was too much to bear for whatever little girl reasons - my mother had a way of reframing my brain and soothing my soul.

My wise mother and me. My first teacher of lessons in gratitude.

She’d sit down next to me, either kneel next to me on the floor, or by the edge of my bed and with her soft spoken loving voice, she’d touch me.

I remember the warm powerful energy of her touch. “B,” she’d gently inquire. “You know you have so much to be grateful for, don’t you? Let’s start right here.”

And this is where my mother would gingerly take my little pinky toe. The perfect balance between delicate and deliberate pressure between her fingers, she’d begin.

“Here’s one blessing.” She’d wiggle my toe. “And here is another.” She continued as she smiled sweetly never once judging the source of my sorrow.

This would continue until she touched as many toes as necessary before either: a) I truly felt my blessings from my toes, to my heart, to my head and everything thing in between and was overwhelmed with gratitude for them all; or, b) I just got really uncomfortable wollaring in my self pity while looking into my mother’s eyes (a mother who was born in the Philippines where she grew up during the Japanese occupation, World War II and knew real suffering) that I decided to get up and tackle the impossible -the world! Which as you know, “might take a little while.” (Also from my single, and really my life’s mantra these days in particular.)

“The impossible may take a little while.” Crazy He Calls Me.

So, for today. I choose to count my blessings. To be grateful for all of Life’s gifts. My health. My friends and family. My basic needs being met during this pandemic. My privileges.

And for today. I choose to start with my pinky toe.

Join me in the spirit of gratitude. Maybe you too can feel the powerful energy of a mother’s touch radiating love - real love, powerful love, self love - throughout every cell in your body.

Self love? Now. There’s a concept for which for I am so very grateful. And it’s a blessing I work on nurturing every single day.

From my heart to yours this holiday season. Let’s all be grateful and start exactly where are feet are planted. Right here. Right now.

♥️B