A friend and I were recently discussing how we feel “in the midst of it all.” Global events, political rhetoric, holiday frenzy and personal heartache are not exactly a recipe for inner peace.

However, it is rare that looking to the outside and analyzing the human condition will provide the answer. At least we must recognize that we are capable of stepping back and observing ourselves in the midst of it all. You might call it a cosmic perspective. You might ask, as many have, who is the presence observing?

When you think about it deeply, we are quite divinely and beautifully made. We are part of the universe and yet we also have the universe within. The fire rainbow can be seen without, but can also be realized within. It is that place of our true nature which is peaceful and yet full of the colorful fire of the heart. It is the spirit that rises up and shines when the chips are down, the winds of change are billowing through and we don’t really know what the future holds for us. It is the beauty of the soul, radiating through all the temporary effluvia. It is the quiet yet resolute inner voice. It is who we really are.

As I write Christmas cards, wrap packages and participate in the joys of the season, I am also reminded to be present with who I really am, listening for the glory of the rainbow within. I am reminded to look for that rainbow in each and every one I meet. I remember a question posed to a saint or sage asking, “What is real?” The answer was, “Only that which does not change is real.” In the midst of it all, I am meditating on the unchanging nature of who we really are and celebrating that reality.

In the process of de-cluttering/making space/re-organizing my office, I found this boldly typed message that I commanded of myself a few years ago. I promptly tacked it on top of a favorite picture of mine, a blowup of a friend’s great photo of fireworks against the night sky. That image holds a special place on my office wall because it so clearly represents my motto to Live Life Vibrant. But back to re-thinking.

As I began meditating on Gratitude, as we are reminded to do when Thanksgiving approaches, I realized that sometimes it requires a change of thinking. It’s akin to walking through a cloud of resistance in order to re-frame our thoughts and create the life we often profess but more than often fall short of. The resistance appears almost as a temptation to revert to the comfortable old ways of viewing life. Oh dear, why is this happening to me? It isn’t fair! Someone else’s life is so much better than mine. It’s just too hard!, etc. It’s so easy to let this what I call old-school thinking divert our attention, even in the smallest ways.

Here’s an example. The corner where I live features busy traffic patterns and is in the process of being adorned with a traffic light. This has required huge metal poles lying in our front yard, men in lime green vests, trucks and all manner of construction equipment for days and even weeks. Although I’m glad that the end result will be a traffic light, I’ve been resisting the process of getting it installed. I’ve found myself slightly annoyed at the noise and commotion. Then last night when I saw those men working late under big lights to finish a certain part of the project before the oncoming snowstorm, I realized my thoughts had not been helpful to me or to those hard-hats. These are men with lives and probably families and have been working hard to accomplish their task. They are most likely unaware of my thoughts, but I could have been more supportive. The creative doors in my life would have opened a little further.

And all this to illustrate that Gratitude is not just for friends, family and the good things in life. If that attitude can be applied to everything that comes our way, then we are participating in receiving and giving from a much larger perspective. We are walking through the resistance and Re-thinking Everything.

May I be granted the grace to remember this lesson every day and not just on Thanksgiving. And may I say I am grateful to you for reading and participating in Winks & Wisdom!

It’s Veterans Day and I feel a deep debt of gratitude for all those who have served and who are serving for America. No matter all the politics left or right, this country remains a unique experiment in freedom and liberty. And it brings to mind the understanding of sacrifice in our lives. Veterans make a commitment to something much greater than themselves, a feeling of standing for principles, fighting for others, defending people they don’t even know.

And many others are making sacrifices every day for something they believe in. Mothers make that sacrifice every hour of every day for their children. Fathers work jobs that may not be to their liking to support their families. Teachers, nurses, firefighters, EMTs…I could go on. There are individuals whose life is all sacrifice, let’s say Mother Theresa. For many, living a life of sacrifice is the key to their victory.

I also think of the ability to love ourselves, even in the midst of sacrifice. The ability to practice self-care, to breathe life into our giving and to celebrate our seemingly small accomplishments gives a new meaning to the word. The roots of the word mean to perform sacred rites, elevating the definition from biblical days. I believe it has come to mean recognizing the divine in what you do. Whether you are serving your whole country or the blossoming potential in a young child, you are recognizing a sacred duty.

And so it is, that whether you are in the midst of a cycle of sacrifice or in another time of your life, acknowledging the divine within you becomes a key to your own victory. Many of those I work with do not recognize the goodness they are doing for others or the lessons they are learning. There is a tendency to focus on the mistakes, the not-so-perfect relationship or job, or the negative self-talk that seems to creep in even when the door is locked. Let us care for ourselves as we would care for our best friend, our spouse, our child or our elderly parent. Let us give ourselves credit for who we are and what we have become. There is always room for improvement, but let us start with recognizing that we are a portion of the divine, sacred souls to be cared for. To ignore that divinity is to brush aside our very beliefs in the greater sacrifices we can make. Great love has many manifestations. Give some of that great love back to yourself today.