This Thanksgiving, I am so grateful for all of you, and wish you a beautiful and peaceful day. Your presence in our spiritual and creative haven is a source of inspiration!
As we cherish the blessings in our lives, let’s also extend our love to those who may be feeling a sense of loneliness on this day. Kindness is immensely powerful and transformative. Remember that your gestures are important and valuable, and have the power to illuminate someone’s day and remind them that they are not alone. And you might be feeling lonely today, know that you are so important, loved and appreciated.
It’s so important to us to honor indigenous Native people on Thanksgiving as well – words falter in capturing the depth of respect and humility owed to the rich tapestry of both their heritage and their current presence and cultural contributions.
Let’s make this Thanksgiving a celebration of gratitude, not just for our own blessings, but for the opportunity to spread love and joy to others.
While reflecting on the spirit of kindness this Thanksgiving, I draw inspiration from the timeless words of St. Francis of Assisi’s prayer, a reminder of the transformative power of kindness and giving, and the connection it fosters with everyone around us:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
With love and blessings!
Erica Magdalene
Photo credit: Brian A. Jackson from Getty Images Pro
Magdalene Journal 