“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.”
~ Meister Eckhart
LENT DAY EIGHT: I am thankful for impromptu kindness.
This article is such a stunning example of impromptu ways that we good humans show love. The more simple an act of love is — the more beautiful it seems to be.
LENT DAY NINE: I am thankful for life’s twists and turns. It’s never easy to deal with the unexpected, the unwanted, or what feels like the unbearable.
It’s hard to walk in faith when we can’t see the next step. But sometimes the twisty parts of life have a miraculous way of turning into something beautiful.
Trust the twist to bring you something better.
LENT DAY TEN: I am thankful for small businesses that give back to the community.
No glossy public relations material, no recognition in the newspapers, no oversized checks or inflated sincerity – small, community-minded businesses remember their roots. They are vested in and genuinely care about the people they serve. Often giving in-kind, from their own products or resources, or by donating their services, they remind us that we belong to one another.
It isn’t about how much they have to give but their willingness to share when they can. It’s not corporate responsibility, it’s just caring.
Picture of Raymond Solomon of Solomon Ventures, whose generosity to different people and organizations — particularly Catholic Charities Jacksonville Camp I Am Special, has been such a gift to this community.
LENT DAY ELEVEN: I am thankful for a heathy body. In my early thirties, a good friend of mine had terminal brain cancer. She was a young mother whose whole life should have been ahead of her. But it wasn’t.
At the time I was an avid runner. I ran for her because she couldn’t. I didn’t always love it. Some runs were hard, hot, and endlessly long. Still, I remembered what a gift these hard runs were – it meant I could feel the thump of my heart, the strength of my legs, and that my breath was ever precious.
It reminded me that I am alive and healthy and not everyone gets that. It gave me pause to stop running and just be grateful.
LENT DAY TWELVE: I am thankful for Bishop Estevez. During a newspaper interview in the quiet of an empty basilica, we talked about Jesus, immigration, and the role of the church and the individual. Everything he said was worth quoting. More so, it was worth living.
I could have sat there forever in the presence of the holiness he exuded. He made me realize how badly I want to sit with Jesus someday, how much peace there would be then, and how the words we say are nothing compared to the conversation of hearts joined in God’s love.
LENT DAY THIRTEEN: I am thankful for mentors. People who have nothing to gain that are willing to help someone who can never repay it are remarkable examples of Jesus’s selflessness. Endless good comes from those who share their time and knowledge. One of the most impactful ways to change the world is to give someone the tools necessary to do it.
LENT DAY FOURTEEN: I am thankful for transformation. A dead tree becomes a work of art. Hurt enables compassion. Defeat is a catalyst for determination. Sinners repent and become Saints. Faith sows the bloom of a divine eternity. Possibilities are endless and no one is without hope.
What are you thankful for today?