Gratitude ~ Gratefuluness ~ Goodness

"Never Believe That A Few Caring People Can't Change The World, That's All Who Ever Have"

(Margaret Mead)

This Sunday morning finds me with tremendous gratitude and gratefulness for all the goodness for all that is in my world; and to all who  left the wonderful and the funny comments to my beautiful Mom;

Dot Sowers for her birthday!

Yes, for as long as my thoughts have been filling this site, from those of humor to heartache to healing ways ~ ~ ~ her birthday tribute indeed has had the most comments to date! Isn't that a "hoot"!

And for that I am grateful, I am filled with amusement, much gratitude to those of you who took the time to write and to wish her a happy and blessed birthday. I am just tickled to death to those of you who wrote and had fun in doing so, kidding her even more about the stories; wondering about them, mulling them over and even wanting to have them be a source of intrigue... what fun!

I am reasonably sure that she let all of her friends across the country know that they should be checking out http://www.drses.blogspot.com/ and perhaps they will become followers as well; prompting them to join in with their comments! Who knows they may even buy their own copy of Healing Heartaches, wondering if their names will be inside the cover, or more stories of Dot and her antics will also be there. Perhaps the next book should include some of those ... ummm food for thought to be sure!

My thoughts of gratitude, and goodness fill my senses. We have seen so much of that recently. From relief efforts for Haiti to first responders leaving the comforts of family, work, warm beds to go and lend a hand... Celebrities opening their hearts and their pockets and giving their time and talents to raise monies for the great need that is there. Goodness abounds in times of great tragedies and crisis.

But goodness can be seen on a good day as well, we only have to look. Recently I was on Facebook and a person had posted that their beloved Mother had died after a long battle with Cancer. Within seconds the computer screen lit up from "virtual" friends posting their deepest condolences; people that didn't know each other taking the time to care, taking the time to acknowledge the loss, to express their deepest care. That is goodness and caring that extends across the world just as Margaret Mead spoke of in her quote.

Lily the Black Bear had her cub, in her den in MN. That little cub is 8 days old now!!! She would have had that cub without human intervention, without pomp or applause. But with the brilliance of research, the technology at hand; a world was able to watch, to become enchanted, to be captured... to become involved and to care. People across the world were able to come together in gratitude for a black bear and be not do for a bear! A few caring researchers allowing a few to turn into thousands who became "family" to a North American Black Bear who will never be the same now that they have watched, listened and bonded. They have heard a bear cub and the similarity of its sound, its sound that is almost human... and they cried a cry of joy and gratitude and goodness. They donated monies for research, for protection, for goodness in the world. Again this is what Margaret Mead talked about isn't it? Healing Heartaches... living in amazing grace at times with random acts of kindness and gratitude...

Oh yes... I must also tell you that Lily the Black Bear now has over 74,000 fans on her Facebook Fan Page... ok, yes 74,000, that is the right number, and NOOO she hasn't been referring her fans to my page just yet, but I am ever hopeful .... You can donate or see Lily and maybe catch a glimpse of the baby and hear those screams at http://www.bear.org/ if you are lucky. The Web Cam is live and of course always on here with DRSES! Yes of course I have ordered the T-shirt "Captured by Lily" haha. I will of course keep you updated on my beloved Lily The Black Bear though.

My 15 year old Godson, D'Vante stayed with Mom on her birthday... they rented movies, even a scary one that neither could bear to watch! He served her dinner and waited on her hand and foot... and they waited for the snow! They both probably fear they will be snowed in with each other for days... haha

Their bond is as strong as two peas in a pod, they fight ~ they love~ they have had a great time I am told. They have made memories for Mom's birthday and I am filled with gratitude for that and for his goodness and what I hope for his future. He has probably grown tired of her reading him the well wishes of those who wrote on the blog while secretly hoping someone will comment about him!

And so it goes... I have heard from some readers who have told me how they miss their parents, those who have died... how they wish for that one last conversation or good time they never had the opportunity for. For that one more moment, memories that they cannot find... I do hope they will remember to re-read the series on "The Forgotten Mourners" and feel free to comment on other topics that they would like to read on!

To those of you I say, look for the goodness, the memories that lay deep within... "sit with it" awhile, write about it, pray about it... it will come. Write down what it is that you are wanting and put that near your bed, read it before you retire for the night ... do this several nights and then just "be". It may just be that you are working too hard at "doing" and that is preventing you from receiving the gifts, the memories that you are seeking. In time, they will come... Trust that you are a survivor, you are the legacy, find the goodness, the gratitude, and be grateful that you have been loved and have loved.

So for today, I am grateful for all that is, has been and is yet to be... Yes, I am grateful for those of you have have chosen to spend these minutes reading this too! And thanks again, for wishing Mom a Happy Birthday, and between you and me... she usually celebrates for at least a week!!! So it's not too late to shout out to Dot... "Happy Birthday Mom" heehe

One more day til February ...

Walk In Beauty,

author of

Healing Heartaches, Infinity Publishing

http://www.healingheartaches.com/

http://www.drsherryeshowalter.com/