Blessings I Have Found

The more I look, the more I find

I am surrounded with blessings at Evergreen. Sunlight. Pink rosebuds. Nasturtiums. Table. Chairs. Greenery. The breeze. Books to read. The more I look for them, the more I find. Photo by Rob.

It’s easy for me to look at my life and ask: ‘What’s wrong with this picture?’

I wish my bush-walking boots didn’t leak; my tyres weren’t so worn; my to-do list wasn’t so long; my hair not so thin.

I’m looking for what’s wrong with my life, instead of all the things that are right with it.

If I start looking at the things that are right, I’d realise that I’m surrounded by blessings.

In his book, Benedictus: A Book of Blessings, the Irish poet and philosopher John O’Donohue refers to what he calls found blessings. He defines these as blessing that are already in my life, waiting quietly for me to find and acknowledge them.

In this category he includes things like friendships, health, and abilities we discover in ourselves that we can share with the world.

After reading the book, I took the time to consider my found blessings. 

• Friendship. I have a few close friends who would be prepared to follow me into hell in order to bring me back.

• Health. My health is perfect now that my gall bladder has been removed.

• Abilities. Hmm. Let me think awhile. I’m good at finding billions of dust bunnies under the bed, growing giant spinach all year round, and exaggerating for effect.

Once I started considering these blessings of friendship, health, and abilities, I took a good look around and found there are lots of other blessings scattered throughout my days.

I’m surrounded with blessings, sparkling like thousands of drops of gentle summer rain caught in sunshine on their way to the ground.

Blessings I Have Found

I’ve spent the last few days listing blessings I’ve found.

• The smile of a toddler sitting in a trolley in a Coles Supermarket.

• A deep red autumn leaf fluttered to the ground and fell unexpectedly at my feet.

• The sharp smell of freshly picked bay leaves boiling in a pot of blue-skinned, baby potatoes.

• A scratch is healing on my arm. (At my age it’s called a skin tear!)

• A hot shower warming ten chilled toes (caused by the hole in my bush walking boots).

• A hopping firetail finch feeding delicately on grass seeds outside the kitchen window.

I am Surrounded with Blessings

I’m surrounded by things that bless me with their presence. Birds in flight that lift my heart. Sunsets that blind me with their brilliance. Voices that say my name.

The more I look for blessings, the more I find. As O’Donohue wrote (2007, p. 223):

The more we recognize our found blessings, the more they increase around us.

I’m surrounded with blessings.

All I have to do is notice them.

Blessings remind us that we’re not alone. We are connected to a million and one things.

Look for blessings.

Start a list.

Feel blessed.

With love, Marlane

Reference

O’Donohue, John. Benedictus: A Book of Blessings. (2007). London: Random House.