Blessings

by Kimberley Thompson, Tastemaker in Residence

I have been thinking about life's blessings a lot lately:  how they fleetingly touch our lives some moments and other times settle around our shoulders and stay for the long haul. How blessings change as we grow older. How they become less about the "I" of our humanness and more about the "others" in our relationships. 

Blessings in my life have the nature of duality:  the generously open-handed gifts bestowed by God through friends and family, and the breathtaking blessings given totally by God that blindside and humble me.

Blessings of friends who step in and quietly take over chores that I find little energy to do. A sister who texts me random humorous bits...that cause me to laugh and then cry.

Blessings created solely by God for me when a new client goes out of their comfort zone to thank me for my efforts to make their occasions memorable.  Unexpected. Grateful. Warming.

Blessings arrive with their own agenda: challenging us to rise from ourselves to give unto others. To motivate us to look within at our gifts and to bountifully bestow these gifts upon another rider of this blue planet.

I have watched friends (on Facebook) be challenged to list “daily” 3 blessings in their lives everyday for a week. It starts with humor:  "Thank God for coffee," "Love my neighbor who starts lawn mowing AFTER 9am," and the ever popular TGIF!

By the 5th day the 3 blessings have stripped down to a much rawer and real level: "That God gives me snippets of laughter as Mom journeys into dementia," "Being fired from my safe job blessed me with courage to interview for my dream job," and "That there was a blessing in the breakup of my relationship...though it was horrible at the time."

Blessings. 

Hands down, a gift from God. 

Often given by friends AND strangers. 

Small whispers and marching bands can both be vehicles of delivery.

Blessings....