Friday, November 23, 2007

Thankful Thursday: Just what I need...

"All is perfect, so perfectly perfect!

Whatever being lives, moves

And breathes on Earth

At every level from atom

To galaxy is absolutely perfect in its place..."

The Principal Upanishads


Yes, Thankful Thursday is back. I meant to write this yesterday, it just didn't happen...the day started out good but some tumultuous emotions overcame me a bit during my breadbaking and gravy making. I just wasn't composed enough to write a TT post.


This has been a difficult year for me. In the midst of personal loss...the loss of some very important relationships, I have had to wade my way through many questions and feelings. Yesterday brought those feelings to the surface again. Sometimes I deal well with them, other times I melt. It's honestly hard for me to write about this and I've admittedly avoided it but I can't do that today because I'm feeling too grateful.


I'm grateful because I know that everything I experience in life is exactly what I need to grow as a spiritual being. If I succeed, my spirit is enlarged and I am deeply grateful for God's wisdom working in me. If I fail, I have a wonderful opportunity to learn and grow. It's all so good...so perfect.


None of this means life is going to be easy. We all face trials...some more than others. We are all at different places with different needs, different lessons to learn and challenges to grow from. I am thankful to see this journey as perfect, the people I travel with as just who I need close to me and each experience, joyful or painful, exactly what I need to go through.


And I have to add that I am so unbelievably blessed to share this journey with my husband...who is just the person I've always needed, and four radiant souls who fill my days with light.

3 comments:

Stephanie said...

I'm always here for you friend, whenever you need an ear I have two ya know;)

Love that picture fo ruby she is a sweetie pie:))

Ros said...

As we draw to the end of 2007, it is a great time for reflection over the year.
I think, like you, we all have new and different experiences that help us to grow and who shape us in who we are!
I am sorry that this has been a difficult year for you. Having known you in person, I can say that I'm sure all those personal relationships that you have lost along the way have caused much anguish and pain both to you and to those you have who have equally lost their relationship with you. You are a special person, Ruth. I know you value each relationship you hold with others.
If you ever need to 'chat', like Stephanie above said, I'm here for you - well at least you have my email address ;)
Jesus loves you, Ruth.

Ruthie said...

Thanks to you both. God's grace has been so big in my life...I'm reminded of that often. I have come to recognize God's hand in it all, equally...joy and sorrow, so as long as my perspective is in check all I can ever have is deep enduring gratitude and peace. The emotions are transcient, the peace is an underlying constant...that's why I can smile and mean it even after a flood of tears has washed through sadness or anger or frusteration. That's why I believe the words quoted in this post..."All is perfect, so perfectly perfect!" Does this mean that we should ignore issues of human suffering and violence? No, it simply means that it is all an avenue of growth for us. The one who suffers grows through it, the one who acts in compassion growths through it. In the great scheme of things, our lovingly perfect, great Creator knows it all and knows what we need. I am overwhelmingly confident of this.
As Julian of Norwich, the 14th century Christian mystic wrote,
"But All Shall be Well, and All Shall be Well and All Manner of Things Will be Well."

Blessings, my friends!