Grateful in the Letting Go

Four days into November and I’m laying under a tree hoping to get the perfect picture of falling leaves for this blog post. The sun warms my chilled skin as the gentle breeze blows. I hold my breath and look through the screen of my phone with anticipation.  I watch. I wait. I acknowledge my husband’s comment that I might be a bit off.  My hound nudges me with his cool wet nose. Still, I keep watching… keep waiting. And just when I think this might be it.

Nothing. Zilch. Not one single leaf lets go.

I hear the email words again.

In autumn, trees let go of their leaves, plants their flowers, and we let go of bird song and water play and butterflies on the wing. Fall is the season of letting go. In the inner landscape of our hearts perhaps it is a time for forgiveness, the letting go of past hurts and misunderstandings, of anger and resentment. Perhaps it’s a time of letting go of our expectations …

This is the season I become more intentional in my gratitude practice. As I look up at the not falling leaves I consider the things I must let go of in order to give thanks. Hurts, hangups, unforgiveness… resentment, could’ve, should’ve, would’ve. And most importantly my expectations. The surrender of outcomes I conjure up at every turn.

I’m like a leaf hanging on for dear life in the tree top. Refusing to let go and allow the Spirit’s breeze to lead me in the falling. November’s devotion begins to take new shape.

Letting go in order to give thanks. Because I can make a day long list of things to be thankful for but what I truly desire is to live gratitude. To walk each day in a state of gratefulness.

So it begins here on the blog. Join me if you will. A month of images to depict the letting go to give thanks, to live gratitiude.

 

 

 

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**Photo by Mazhar Zandsalimi on Unsplash