A Year of Gratitude – June 1, 2024

Come closer and you’ll see one of my reasons for gratitude today. This is one of the lupines that is in bloom right now here at the farm.

Just look at those colors: the deep purple and fuchsia on the same petal. Each one of them is curved ever so slightly. The ends of the petals are open by such a small margin. Each one of them is a marvel.

If I hadn’t seen them with my own eyes, if I hadn’t knelt down to take a closer look, it would have been so easy for me to miss it. I’m so glad that I didn’t.

The garden has so much to teach me. There are new lessons to learn, but just as many known lessons to be reminded of. Today, I was reminded that every living thing has the capacity to be beautiful and purposeful. In fact, often the beauty is in the purpose.

But we have to choose to that purpose each day, often more than once in a day. We have to decide to look for gratitude, to be thankful for all that we have, and to be mindful in the moment. It’s not always easy to do with the daily distractions of life.

Try to allow yourself the space to look for beauty in your day and to be present when and where you find it. Those moments make all the difference.

This post is part of our A Year of Gratitude Series. You can find the introduction, inspiration, and entire year’s gratitude’s posts here.