Atlanta Unitarian

My second spiritual practice is to re-connect to my inherent gratitude. It is human nature to notice that which changes, and to ignore that which stays the same. But we are so immersed in great blessing, that we scarcely take the time to notice it. We always think of the margin, the edge, how things could get better. Rarely do we think how good things are, or simply what is right with ourselves and our lives. I think practicing gratitude, it's very easy and very gratifying. And also I think it is something that gets easier with time - it is something that is worth practicing. It's very simple. Just ask yourself, what is it in my life that I am glad for? Something will come up of its own. The key is sincerity. You cannot be grateful for something because you *should* be. Gratitude springs from the heart. Practicing gratitute means taking the time to slow down and listen to the sweet music of gratefulness in the heart. Even if it is small, even if it's just for on

Sincerity, or self-honesty, is the life-blood of the spirit. Where sincerity flows, the spirit is refreshed and nourished. Where sincerity does not flow, the spirit must wither. The spiritual life is the one side of life where truth to yourself is paramount. In our social lives, appearances rule - we are judged and estimated by what we appear to be. In our spiritual lives, we can be nothing other than what we are. We see ourselves naked, without cover. Every person when they look inside sees a microcosm of the entire universe. Love and hate, anger and forebearance, fear and courage, and all the other kinds of struggles lie within. This muddle within turns out to be of great value. First, it connects us with every other living creature - their struggles, their paths, we identify with even if we never experience that path first hand. Second, the muddle within indicates that our true selves are hidden, that we must seek to find the hidden unity underneath. The key to sincerity, s

At this point in my life, I have held a number of jobs and spent a considerable amount of time in school. I think I can say that without qualification, every occupation I have ever had left me physically and emotionally exhausted at the end of most days. This is not to say that there has not been excitement and inspiration. But whereas excitement and inspiration have been occasional visitors, exhaustion has been a constant companion. This leads to a number of questions- Is our culture's attitude towards work inhumanely demanding or otherwise dehumanizing? Is it something in me that makes work exhausting, something in my attitude or constitution? Is there a right occupation out there for me, that if I found it, my exhaustion would be combatted by an equally constant inspiration? In other words, is it a matter of finding the right fit for my skills and interests, that is somehow still elusive after all these years of trials and errors? Is it the human condition that work should a

Some days when I am on my way to work, I say to myself a little prayer, it goes something like this: Thank you for this new day. Thank you for my legs which walk and eyes which see, for the ability to explore and come into contact with the wide world. Thank you for my abilities. Thank you for my understanding, which allows me to think about the world and allows me to try to plan for a better world. Thank you for my co-workers, who help me to see things in a new light. Help me to see the light that is within them, help me to forgive those who distract and annoy me. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to work on a job that challenges my abilities and that can make a difference in peoples lives. Let me try to offer something of myself as a gift to the world on this day.