I went to Mass this morning. If I'm up in time, it's a pleasant way to start the day. Today, the church offered gifts of daily reflection books on the the gospel of St. Matthew, the inspiration of our church. The entry I read for today ends with "Dear Father, in every contingency of life, bitter or sweet, I pray for the strength to say: Here I am, I have come to do your will."
Submission to God's will, to duty and responsibility, destiny and necessity, is sometimes easier than others.
For a less Biblical reference, take the movie "Hot Tub Time Machine." Frequently the idea of fate, destiny and "the butterfly effect" is mulled, mused and ultimately abused.
If you had things to do over again, would you take the same actions? If you knew what would happen, would you do what you could to avoid it, despite unknown consequences? Do you do what is right, even when it's not fun or popular or pleasant? Can you summon a sense of peace to accept the current moment, the current crisis, and smile and do what you can to move forward?
A friend recently gave me the best compliment I've ever received. "You're cynical, but you're ultimately an optimist," she said. "You have one of the best attitudes of any of my friends. You always try to see the bright side, even if you're cynical and sarcastic about it."
Those comments have stayed with me and buoyed me lately. I hope that's how the world sees me. Sure, I'd like to drop the cynicism from time to time, but we can't have it all, right?
I'll take a peaceful acceptance of the present. And maybe a touch of divine strength if there's enough to go around.
I hope everyone had fabulous Thanksgivings. Mine was a fantastic moment in time that I'll always be thankful for. The day began with a White family Turkey Trot participation and ended with the tastiest turkey we've ever had, my mom's signature spinach casserole and homemade cream puffs, courtesy of my Grandma Bobbie. The best dish? The family gathered. xo
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