Tonight I went to a Gratitude Gathering. It was offered by my dear friend Kathleen who has been through incredible challenges during the past year. We gathered to celebrate her joyful recovery and to speak from the heart about our own gratitude. Of course, where women gather, there is good food…
and there are good stories. Our stories tonight were stories of tragedy and triumph, of courage and grace, of grief and of joy…stories of meals made and delivered, upbeat emails, phone calls of support, visits, cups of tea, groceries, help with house cleaning…stories strength and of vulnerability; of caring and of community.
We spoke of the ease of giving and challenge of receiving–of the profound loneliness of isolation and the joy of community…of kindness as nourishment.
KINDNESS
Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth
What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride
thinking the bus will never stop,
the passengers eating maize and chicken
will stare out the window forever.
Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness,
you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
lies dead by the side of the road.
You must see how this could be you,
how he too was someone
who journeyed through the night with plans
and the simple breath that kept him alive.
Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.
Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day to mail letters and purchase bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the crowd of the world to say
It is I you have been looking for,
and then goes with you everywhere
like a shadow or a friend.
– NAOMI SHIHAB NYE –
It sounds as though you had a beautiful day. The kindness and support of others is such a wonderful glorious thing for us all, all those involved, giver and reciever benefit so much.
Does that kindness go even further, go on to the road with the dead Indian, even after the breath has gone? Perhaps it does.
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My heart is still “aglow” from last night’s gathering. I was enjoying the company and feelings in the room so much that I did not want to leave (and I’m not an evening person). My love and gratitude to all of you my old and new friends. Kindness was everywhere and I felt so comfortable there. I was myself. You are all in my thoughts and prayers and I thank you for yours. I am looking forward to the next gathering. Kathleen, thanks for organizing the evening and Rhonda thanks for opening your beautiful home. I bow to you all.
With Love and Light,
Arlene Caterino
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Your blog is always so inspiring. Thanks for your offerings.
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Ahhh….What radiance!
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[…] Saturday evening, we had our autumn Gratitude Gathering…a circle of women dedicated to experiencing and expressing gratitude…a circle of women […]
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