Sorrow and Gratitude Coexist

On this day before Thanksgiving I invite you to stop for a minute and reflect on all you have to be thankful for-blessings abound if we just look around. How blessed we are to live in America! I go to my sink and turn on the faucet—clean water flows. Both my refrigerator and my pantry are full of good food that will feed me for weeks. Electricity, heat and air conditioning is accessed with a flip of a switch. These things are so much a part of my life that I seldom give them a second thought. I am guilty of taking much for granted.

I got up at 4:30 this morning—the stillness, as the neighborhood slept, was an invitation for unhurried and random thought. As I do every morning, I thought of Jordan and mourned anew for the man he would be today. I cried for the many losses associated with his death, some of which I have yet to realize. Saying I miss him is such an understatement and seems an injustice, but I can’t seem to find the words that adequately measure my longing for the son I love so much. There really is a missing piece of my heart.

I venture outside to greet the stray cat who comes to my porch every morning for affection. We sit on a chair as I give her the love and attention she needs. The air is crisp and the sun is rising in the east as it does every morning without fanfare. The sky is so beautiful with its muted sunrise colors—an artist’s masterpiece available to all who would take the time to look. The birds are starting their day with songs of joy. What an incredible world this is! It is astounding to me that a broken heart can still marvel at the beauty and wonder of creation—-that both deep sorrow and awe can occupy the same place.

Wishing family and friends a Happy Thanksgiving.

God bless you.