To What do You Give ....

"To what do you give your mind today?"


I read those words just a couple minutes ago. Having spent the past hour writing Christmas thank you notes ,the word 'gratitude' immediately came to mind.  The gratitude I experienced this morning was a 'muscular' form of thanksgiving.  I use the word 'muscular' because the act of sorting through note cards, choosing who is to receive which, deliberately thinking of not only the gift I received but the activity involved in gifting and then writing, addressing and stamping the cards involved the 'work' of my muscles - my thanksgiving was a physical response just as the gifting to me had been a physical activity.


As I wrote each note I became aware of the 'wholeness' involved in gifting.  The gifts I was given this Christmas were not 'things' but more importantly, they were the energies of each person who put time and effort into thinking of who I am and who I am to their life and then chose to acknowledge that reality.  This was the gift I was aware of early this morning when I wrote the notes.


The physical act of writing my thank yous actually re-gifted me for I was made aware - again - of the wonder of each relationship - of the wonder of a person pondering how to gift me - the wonder of choosing an expression of their deliberation and then offering a gift of their time and energy: their mind and heart to me.


Gratitude is a short cut to wonder and wonder is the entrance: a doorway, to experiencing life as astonishing, amazing, delightful and  wondrous. The moments of wonder available during a day are just that - moments - and what I became aware of this morning was my ability to experience these moments - these quick flashes of time - is completely dependent upon "what I have given my mind to."


I was not planning on blogging today as I had felt the urgings to get the thank you notes in the mail and so had devoted my time to that experience and besides, I had said at the end of yesterday's blog that the next few bloggings would be devoted to the second chapter of the Christmas story which is the journey of the Magi.  Yet, as I think on my experience this morning of 'muscular' gratitude and of the words at the top of this page "what do you give your mind to today?'" I am aware that that question is the beginning place of the journey of the Magi.  


Each of the journeyers gave their mind to believing their life had a distinct and unique purpose.  Because of this belief, each devoted their life to the study and work of developing their mind so they would see the star when it appeared.  What we give our mind to, is what we will see.