Grateful Ingredients…

As we approach Thanksgiving, we are reminded to take some time and give thanks for the many blessings we have enjoyed and witnessed throughout the year. We observe a transformation during the fall. Deep, rich colors create a picturesque canvas…shades of red, orange, yellow and rust. Each tree presents its own contribution of nature…to the scene. And right in the midst of it all a cool fall breeze will come along and brush against my skin.

The weather is even a necessary ingredient. When the sky is cloudy and thick with the sound of thunder, and the rain and wind flips my umbrella inside out… I must be grateful. In that moment the thunder, clouds and heavy winds pave the way for sunshine, new growth, and that wonderful cool breeze against my skin.

If I am preparing to bake a sweet potato pie I give thanks for the nutmeg and the cinnamon and the sugar. For if one ingredient is missing the sweet potato pie would not be the pie I intended it to be. Every spice brings a special taste to the mix. Each one is important to achieving the end result…a warm slice of delicious pie.

I am grateful for all the ingredients that construct the dimensions of life. The special people who occupy my personal space are ingredients unto themselves. Each one presents something that only they can offer…laughter…love… a new perspective or view. I am especially thankful for the many facets of my own character and even the unconventional rhythm of my personality.

When I am busy trying to manage the many changes that have taken place in my life a cool fall breeze can remind me to slow down, decompress and focus on those things, those people, those special moments that really matter. I turn off the radio in my car and appreciate the silence of the moment before my thoughts and attention become preoccupied with the awaiting day. I must also pace my emotional self and trust that peace of mind and faith, are the ingredients I need.

I end with a question for myself… What special ingredient do I offer in the ever changing dimension of life? Feel free to answer this question for yourself if you’d like. May your own spices continue to expand and may the full richness of your ingredients bring new sensations and tastes to your life. I plan to spend time experimenting and sampling some new spices and finding ways to enhance my own ingredients so that I have more to offer as I continue “In Waiting”.

Always…Expecting the Extraordinary!