Happy Thanksgiving!

It is time to schedule workshops for the Chinese Year of the Rat, the beginning of a new 60-year cycle. The hopes and dreams of 1960 may be reborn in the year 2020, let it be. Perfect vision! The year begins early and the workshops will start promptly in February. If you would like to host a session for this auspicious year, contact me.

a thanksgiving prayer

if you are thankful for family, may family be thankful for you.
if you are thankful for friends, may friends be thankful for you.
if you are thankful, may you remain thankful through the reality of family and friends.
if family and friends are not thankful for you, may you remain thankful thankful thankful.

if you are thankful for work, may work be thankful for you.
if you are thankful for home, may home be thankful for you.
if you are thankful, may you remain thankful through the reality of work and home.
if work and home are not thankful for you, may you remain thankful.

if you are thankful for things of necessity and luxury and everything else
if you are thankful for circumstances of joy and sorrow and everything else
if you are thankful
you are thanked. you are blessed and you are thanked.

if things and circumstances are not thankful for you
may you remain thankful through the reality of things and circumstances.

if you are thankful for love, may love be thankful for you.
if you are thankful, may you remain thankful through the reality of love.
if love is not thankful for you, may you remain thankful.

if you are thankful for everything
if you are thankful
you are thanked. you are blessed and you are thanked.

may you remain thankful

***

if you are not thankful for family and friends, may you be.
if you are not thankful for work and home, may you be.
if you are not thankful for things and circumstances, may you be.
may you be thankful for everything. may everything be thankful for you.

if you are not thankful for love, may love remain your everything.
if you are not thankful for love, may love remain your everything.

if you are not thankful, may you be.

and may you remain thankful

***

i am thankful for those who love me
though i say the wrong thing
though i do the wrong thing.

i am thankful for those who love me
though i say the right thing
though i do the right thing.

i am thankful for those who love me
though i say and do what i say and do.

i am myself. i am thankful to be myself. i am thankful to be myself with others.

i am thankful that love transcends right and wrong words.

i am thankful that love transcends right and wrong deeds.

i am thankful for love. and the reality of love.

i am thankful for those who are family and friends.
i am thankful for those who are home and work.
i am thankful for those who are present through things and circumstances
and love me through the reality of life.

for this, for these
i am thankful i am thankful i am thankful

***

i am supported through the challenges of life.
i am thankful to be supported through the challenges of life.
i am thankful to be supported through the challenges of life
by hands of grace and peace and joy.

oh, it is the challenges that reveal the opportunity for thankfulness.

for this i am thankful

***

i have food and drink and shelter. i have clothes. i have dignity. and i have more.

i have personal safety and stability. i have respect. and i have more.

i have tools and knowledge that support my health. my physical emotional mental spiritual health.
i have society that supports my health. i have these and i have more.

i have books and films and music. i have a garden. i have freedom. and i have more.

and i am thankful. very thankful.

i make art. and i make art. and i make art. and i am thankful.

i stand on the edge of this world
thankful that i see its perfect/imperfect glory
thankful that i hear its perfect/imperfect glory
thankful that i smell its perfect/imperfect glory
thankful that i taste its perfect/imperfect glory
thankful that i feel its perfect/imperfect glory
with this gloriously perfect/imperfect body of mine.

i stand on the edge of this day
thankful that i have this gloriously perfect/imperfect life
thankful that i have this gloriously perfect/imperfect family of friends
thankful that i have this gloriously perfect/imperfect home and work
things and circumstances…

and i linger in the thankfulness.
for this, for all of this
may i remain thankful

roy anthony shabla
2019