If you were to stop now and take an energy picture of the world around you, I am sure you would get a whirlwind of colour splashed across the frame of your life. We live in great swirling masses of frantic, bustling energy that represents our all too human striving to get somewhere, do something, say something, acquire something that would validate our presence here on earth.

But very few of us reach that level of satisfaction, for as we acquire the thing that our heart was desiring or realise the goal that we had set to reach by thirty, forty or fifty years of age, we want something else. We stretch ourselves thin to achieve our cherished dreams, yet those same dreams end up selling us short of the mark. And the mark most times is a sense of peace, happiness, comfort and completion in our lives. We are exhausted from the effort of moving forward that never seems to end. Only the methods of the striving change as we age.

In its highest form, this ruthless need and search for a happy future state is called ambition but in its lowest expression it represents the greed, the competition, jealousy and even rage that have plagued humanity’s relationships with itself. Where do we go to find the ease, the peace, the joy that our soul craves but evades as we seek to fix ourselves in these rapidly changing materialistic times?

If we stop to consider our situation in life right now, we will see that it was our past planning, life affirming experiences or even mistakes that have gotten us to this. We must take full responsibility for our present position before we move on. Whether we had lived by a tried and true code of behavior or whether we had tried new ways of managing in this technologically advancing age, it is our own selves that are responsible for our life choices. We create the present world around us from our past words, thoughts and deeds. The only way we can change, is to first acknowledge the dissatisfaction in the moment and know that there are things you can do that ease up the need for the relentless striving forwards to unhappiness. 

Out happy spot is right in the middle of the Holy Moment of the Present, the NOW! We access this gift of the present moment by going into the full appreciation of who we are, what we have and who we are allowing into our life. There is nothing ordinary about our lives. For some of us it might not be ideal but who made it so? What were the core beliefs that lead us to this moment? And who can change it? 

The present moment of heartfelt appreciation for what you have experienced and learnt so far is the moment that the Divine within you communicates its secrets. Here begins the revealing of life’ mystery and initiates the real miracle of moving forward to our wholeness. How did I get here-to this place of empty striving? you might ask yourself. 

Whatever method you used to get there, GRATITITUDE is the door you must use to get into the mysterious revelation of the Holy Moment. Deep, heartfelt appreciation for all our life has served up to date is the tool must use to craft to propel our way forward. We stand in gratitude, acknowledging everything and everyone who made the present moment possible. This include the good, the bad and the ugly experiences. Know and feel appreciation for the learning that we have garnered from the seemingly empty, sad, pitiful events along with those that were celebratory. GRATITUDE is the trigger for the joy and the laughter that had always been hiding under those the dark feelings we withheld and are now waiting for us to turn up with full responsibility and attention to our life lessons.

Everything that has ever happened in our lives was brought on by an innate desire to give expression to what lies within us. The truth, be it comfortable or not had to be expressed. And that is the real reason for the determined movement towards things that we could barely identify much less see with the naked eye. All we knew is that we did not have enough. But counting our blessings in the NOW is like calling a time-out in a basket game-a chance to re-assess where you have gotten and to become much clearer about taking redemptive action.

I remember this very flamboyant looking but very intelligent woman I met on my many sojourns off the beaten path of main-stream religion and spirituality. She was the daughter of a spiritual guru, given to meditative practices from childhood and somehow integrated her spiritual life with her call to marriage and motherhood. I had long admired her daily devotion to meditation and her lifelong study of esoteric topics. She was conversant with both Eastern and Western mysticism even while plunging herself into the grind of tending to her large family. From the beautiful energy she exuded, I was sure that she had found the much sought-after sacred goal of enlightenment. One of my questions to her was:

“Seeing that you have found the much-desired goal of enlightenment. What do you do with it?”

“Why do I have to do anything with it? As far as I know I have to live my life as the Spirit dictates in the moment.”

“But don’t you have to do something? Help humanity? Be of further service? You know become a great sage or somebody?

She looked at me genuinely perplexed;

“As far as I know I am living the Life I was meant to. I turn up fully for the experiences that come up in my day, I am grateful for every breath I breathe. I enjoy my life, my friends, my family. What more do I need? Everything in my life is a blessing and my heart beats with ease and comfort in my chest. What more do I need?”

I could not answer her question then, nor could I do so for so many years after our conversation. She had found her Way in the World and I had to find mine. It took me a good twenty years after that to get into my spiritual stride but lady I hear you loud and clear. 

I discovered that when I count my blessings in the present moment, I am in the natural flow of life. I am not only where I am supposed to be, but my future is already taken care of.  GRATITUDE allows for the Divine to open the doors to the treasures of a future without the strain of strife nor that of doubt.  Everything is always alright in the moment because there is always LIFE there, there is always CHOICE there. A big THANK YOU TO ALL AND EVERYTHING that has contributed to my life, allows the joy to seep right in, even if the circumstances are less than perfect. Appreciation of my unique and not so ordinary life allows me access to the life that had been planned by a Higher Power and kept in waiting for me. Like it is said in the much-loved poem DESIDERATA by Max Ehrmann;

“ . . . And whatever your labours and aspirations,

In the noisy confusion of life, 

Keep peace in your soul,

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams,

It is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.”

And may I add do not forget to count your blessings . . .daily.

Afiyah Ledgerwood

May 2019