Painting by Belynda Wilson Thomas
Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing. Camille Pissarro
On Saturday we went to a wedding. We sat outside overlooking a large pond on a golf course. The day was hot but by 4:30 had cooled down. As we sat we felt a drop of rain. The wedding party arrived and partway through the ceremony showers of blessings were upon us.
Everyone took it in stride. The wedding had been postponed twice because of covid, nothing was ruining this day for the happy couple. It was lovely to get together with people we hadn’t seen in what seemed forever. Young people were kids the last time we saw them, now they are accomplished adults. One of the joys of growing older is watching the younger generation take their place in society, get married, and create families.
My son was talking to me yesterday and thinks we’ve failed in some ways as we’ve taught young people to be wary of relationships and leave childbearing to later years. He feels he knows too many young people suffering from meaninglessness. He said, “If they started a family they would be too busy to suffer from meaninglessness.” Is he onto something?
Are we pushing our children to pursue success at the expense of family and parenthood? My mom used to say people shouldn’t get married too young, but now she sees them not bothering to get married at all.
When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around. Willie Nelson
Do we need to look at all of life as a blessing? Every challenge we deal with or overcome helps us grow. Emmet Fox said, “Bless a thing and it will bless you. Curse it and it will curse you. If you put condemnation upon anything in life, it will hit back at you and hurt you. If you bless a situation it has no power to hurt you, and even if it is troublesome for a time, it will gradually fade out, if you sincerely bless it.”
That is a hard concept to wrap my head around. We are to bless everyone that has impacted our lives negatively? We are to bless the good and the bad. Life is our laboratory and we may feel overwhelmed with what we have to face but if we face it one day at a time we can deal with whatever we face. “Live in today, and do not allow yourself to live in the past under any pretense.”
According to Emmet Fox, if we want to change our lives, then we must change our thoughts first. Many of his ideas contributed to the AA philosophy that has transformed the lives of millions of recovering alcoholics. Some people believe that looking at troubles as blessings in disguise is a way of deluding ourselves, but I believe it is better than living a life of self-pity, blame, and feeling like a victim.
One could feel their day was ruined with a downpour of rain on their wedding day. The day they’ve waited for… Or they could feel blessed with showers of blessings. Nothing changed except the outlook. It was lovely to be in a group that took the “Showers of blessings” approach.
I am still determined to be cheerful and to be happy in whatever situation I may be, for I have also learnt from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions and not upon our circumstances. Martha Washington
Everything in life is a gift, a test, and a blessing, all at the same time. Nadir Keval
Hard times are sometimes blessings in disguise. We do have to suffer but in the end, it makes us strong, better, and wise. Unknown
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