The Grand Journey

Dear Reader,

All I can think about this morning as I sit down to write is how much I appreciate life, and the profound beauty of this grand journey we are on. I am sitting in a small corner coffee shop, one of my favorite environments for writing, surrounded by people greeting each other and starting their day with meaningful conversation. We do share this journey with each other, and it is nice to be reminded of that.

How often do you just marvel at life?

Often, I hope. Because there is so much to marvel at, and feel grateful for, isn’t there?

All the people we love, and have been loved by… the experiences and adventures we have had… the contributions we have made… all the beauty of nature we have seen…. take a moment, and reflect on that; see what comes to mind and heart.

Yes, we see chaos in the world, and pain, and suffering, and each of us has, no doubt, experienced our fair share. But the pain never negates the good. Suffering comes and goes (although sometimes it may feel like it will never go) and as it does, it contributes to who we are and provides opportunity for transformation.

In fact, when I consider all my failures in life, all the times I have fallen short, I marvel at the grand journey even more. Because despite all of those apparent failures, I can see how I have moved forward anyway, become stronger and appreciated my successes all the more.

Despite all the past ups and downs, this is a new moment, and I have the opportunity to make a new choice about how I approach life, what I value, and where I place my focus.

Not only is it a new moment, it is a new year – we are still in January!

How do you choose to approach life in 2016, dear reader? Because no matter what is going on in your life, you always have that choice. How will you contribute to the grand journey? Please feel free to leave a comment here on the blog, or email me, and let me know!

I honor your loving heart,

John