Tea time reflections: Welcome Gratitude

Maybe, Gratitude is rooted in an awakening to Grace. It is amazing, that when we are aware, there is always Grace available in every moment – even the darker moments of our life – it is there, and will gently meet us when we ask for it.

I began 2021 with an intentional “Welcome!” wanting to embrace what it brings. One of my intentions was to look through the eyes of Gratitude to see the year better.

We are moving into the heart of autumn. The days are warm, the wind gentle and the light soft. Nature is inviting us to simply relax in the beauty and abundance of the season. In my garden the basil is flourishing, the aubergines just keep on giving and I allow the peppers to change to their sweet red and yellow colours. Nature reassures us that the high energy growth and pace of Spring and Summer is reaping its reward in the abundance of Autumn. The invitation: simply enjoy the harvest and replenish!

The harvest of Autumn is cyclical in our lives. Think of Golden Hour at the end of the day, experiencing the rewards of a plan that took months to strategise and implement or moving into a life stage where your children are more independent and you enjoy the fruits of your relationship with them. (and the more time you have at hand)

Ironically I cannot really say that I am experiencing abundance in my body at the moment. I am recuperating from severe anemia. This is difficult for me, for I am a summer girl, I am used to having loads of energy, loving early mornings and mentally and emotionally I had the capacity to carry quite a bit.  Reality hit hard and vulnerability pushed. It turned out that not only physically but emotionally and mentally my energy is depleted. For now, I have no choice but to focus on rebuilding,  nourishing and replenishing my body mind and spirit. A perfect time to discover tea ingredients that would specifically be beneficial in nourishing and building the body. Don't you think?  It is with this in mind that I make my tea today and reflect on welcoming Gratitude. Join me!

Sipping my organic Rooibos tea, I ask three times. “What are you grateful for?” And what strikes me when I stop and listen, is that eventually my heartfelt gratitude stems from a realisation of immense Grace. For now, I asked for the Grace of acceptance. On the one hand fighting this physically and pushing just brings me no- where and lying in a corner feeling sorry for myself takes up too much precious energy. But it is the way of Grace that is helping me cope. Grace to accept what is. It is giving me space to move as I can, get involved as I can manage, and choose what will be nourishing to the whole of me.

Maybe, Gratitude is rooted in an awakening to Grace. It is amazing, that when we are aware, there is always Grace available in every moment – even the darker moments of our life – it is there, and will gently meet us when we ask for it.  Even the smallest realisation of a speck of  Grace has the ability to bring a ray of hope, relief, calm and gratitude.    It is like that extra full inhale and exhale that just settles us, and somehow helps us to believe that all will be well even though many times we have no idea how.  

A last thought as I finish my Rooibos. My son asked me the other day: “Mom, when you wake up, what is the first thing you do?” My knee jerk reaction was: “The conversation in my head resumes; ‘where, what, why did you, how will you, how could you?” I was quite taken aback at this reality. It was an awakening to the choice I have in what will be the first thing I do when I wake up in the morning.

And I choose Gratitude.

Gratitude for the breath that I am breathing together with the birds singing, the basil growing in the herb box outside my window and those with whom I share my life with.

Gratitude for the existence of Love.

Gratitude for the start of a new day even though I am not really sure how it will unfold but certain that Grace will always meet me somewhere.

And when I sip my tea, I am grateful for the gifts of nature and the nourishment it brings my body, mind and soul.

What do you see when you look through the eyes of Gratitude?