The Energy of Gratitude

I'm writing this newsletter in October, but you would never know Halloween hasn't even happened yet if you stepped inside a Costco, Walmart, or Home Depot.

Yesterday, I wandered through Walmart looking for stadium chairs for a rodeo we were attending. Apparently, my back has decided that bleacher seats are no longer acceptable.

As I walked through the store, I was once again struck by the deluge of holiday decorations that seems to arrive earlier every year. Entire sections, both indoors and out, were bursting with decorations, gift ideas, toys, and lights in twenty different colors. Apparently, we now need a Christmas tree in every room and perhaps a few scattered across the lawn for good measure.

Everything was merry and bright, yet somehow, it all felt like too much.

Overwhelming. Overstimulating. Honestly, a little suffocating.

I enjoy the holidays, but more and more, I find myself yearning to strip them down. To simplify. To quiet the noise and reconnect with the energy of what this season is truly meant to be about.

Gratitude. Connection. Generosity. Presence.

I've discovered a deep sense of peace in giving more than receiving. And that's saying something coming from this Libra who absolutely loves gifts! LOL.

When I walk into the supermarket and see a collection for families in need, I happily purchase a few extra items. But what stays with me isn't the act of giving itself. It's the quiet moment afterward when I thank my Creator for having the resources to help someone else.

I can actually feel the warmth spreading through me.

That's the energy of gratitude.

I've also noticed that whenever I pause to silently give thanks for the simplest things, a smile begins to emerge.

What am I thankful for?

The beautiful autumn light and the smoky pink skies stretching across the mountains in the evening. And the gift of having eyes that allow me to witness such beauty.

The smell of hay and the crunch of fallen leaves beneath my feet on an evening walk. And a body that allows me to smell, hear, feel, and move through this world.

The ability to turn on the heat when the autumn air begins to carry a chill.

The meals I prepare in my kitchen.

My dog Daisy, with her entire head hanging out the car window, taking in the world with an enthusiasm that reminds me how wonderful the simplest pleasures can be.

These are the things that fill me now.

But let me be clear. This was NOT always me.

For huge chunks of my life, I never even considered expressing gratitude for my body, my surroundings, nature, animals, trees, or even the people I loved. I simply moved through life assuming it would all continue as it always had.

I took so much for granted.

Perhaps it's age. Perhaps it's time. Perhaps it's my spiritual awakening that has shifted my perspective so dramatically.

Truthfully, I'm not sure I even care to know why.

What I do know is that moving through life with the awareness that I am blessed simply to be here, to participate in this extraordinary world and bear witness to its beauty, has softened something within me.

It's changed how I spend my time, where I place my attention, and what I consider valuable.

Yes, we will celebrate the holidays. There will be decorations, good food, laughter, and probably a few gifts because, well, I'm still a Libra.

But the relentless desire for MORE has quietly left me.

Give me more time in nature.

More time with the people I love.

More time decorating my home with the treasures I already own.

More time noticing the changing light, listening to the birds, and appreciating the ordinary moments that make up this extraordinary life.

More time being fully present and less time living inside my head.

Less has become more.

And gratitude, I've come to realize, isn't simply something we express. It's an energy we cultivate. A vibration that shifts how we experience ourselves and the world around us.

It doesn't mean life is always beautiful or easy. It doesn't mean we won't experience sadness, disappointment, or difficult days.

It simply means we can choose to notice what is still good, even in the midst of what isn't.

As we enter this season of giving thanks, may we remember that the greatest gifts rarely come wrapped in paper or tied with a bow.

Sometimes they're found in a smoky pink sky, the crunch of autumn leaves, a warm home, or a dog with her head hanging out the window.

May we slow down long enough to notice them. May we recognize the abundance already surrounding us. And may gratitude gently change the energy we bring into the world.