I have the gift of life,
I cherish my whole spirit,
I nurture my courage and strength.
There’s no doubt we’ve all grown over the years, gaining knowledge and experience in exchange for the time spent.
Yet, sometimes when we look back to our former selves, we find elements to our being that we’re missing now. Perhaps a hobby or pastime we indulged in then, but no longer do so. Maybe we had the passion of youth that allowed us to freely protest against what we thought wrong, and we don’t do so any more. Some of us may have worn our hearts on our sleeves then, and loved a lot more than we’re able to now? We had the strength that is borne of pure hope, untouched by the many failures we face, unburdened by the responsibilities we take on as we live our lives. We had more courage, not having then looked into the face of fear, never having experienced loss.
Does our spirit change with the passing of time? Have we looked within ourselves and identified just what makes us who we are?
And then I wonder.
Should failure be a reason to lose hope or an opportunity to learn? Should responsibility be a burden or a natural outcome of our increasing abilities and ambitions? Should fear suppress courage or be a reflection of how much we care?
When we speak this affirmation aloud, we deeply feel inside us that our lives, with all its ups and downs, has been a privilege and a journey without parallel; the best gift ever. We look within at who we are and who we were, find, and treasure that part of our being that makes us who we are; that spirit which many of us have left behind. We feel an overwhelming pride at being there for our children and families, standing strong in the face of challenging situations, always there for them with an encouraging word and being a firm pillar of strength for them, without regard to how we’re feeling ourselves.
This week we find the essence of our being and pat our own backs for keeping our families together, not only keeping them safe, but also ensuring they feel safe, and being there for them at all times.
