To my Tribe…

Yesterday’s meditation was about gratitude. A lot of guided meditations reference gratitude, since many of us tend to focus on what’s wrong with our lives or the world, rather than what’s right. I happen to tend toward the former and have to be regularly reminded of the latter.

Having said that, there is also reason to be grateful for some of the not so good things in our lives. Our reaction to the more painful and uncomfortable things can be good; the suffering often acts as fertilizer. It promotes growth when we realize that we can not only survive difficult situations, but learn valuable lessons from them.

Our challenges often promote a surge of empathy for others in similar circumstances and if we look clearly and closely, we see that every single human on earth is navigating through their own obstacle course. That awareness makes us more patient and kind and forgiving and I believe, happier. In my experience and opinion, empathy is the precursor for kindness and compassion. And we all need more of that. If you watch any news at all, you know in your core that the world needs more of that.

So, back to gratitude. During my meditation yesterday, I began to relax and mentally list what I was grateful for and I started with my husband, my dogs, my family and my home. Then as I widened the circle, I began to see my friends and I began to smile, then laugh and then I felt an intense surge of emotion that I can only describe as love and light and tenderness toward these people who mean so much to me.

It was a moment of light and clarity that I wish happened more often while sitting in meditation. I tend to get caught up in the day to day administrative aspects of life. Bills, paycheck, household chores, errands, appointments, job, blah, blah, blah. Those things occupy too much of my personal hard drive and it takes sitting quietly, watching my breath, to remind me of the important stuff; the things that fill my soul. It’s taken me a long time to realize that those soul-fillers are my tribe. My humans; people that I’ve picked or have picked me.

So, yes. I’m grateful for all of you. You are my tribe and I love you.