Blessing: November 30 - December 6

My holiday cactus is in full bloom.

Beauty filled my week as I connected with family and friends. Each day I set an intention to let others know how much I valued their presence in my life. Mindfulness helped me to show up more fully, listen more deeply, and appreciate time shared together.

Here's the prayer by Christina Baldwin, we used to bless our table and all those around it.

Dear and beloved stranger,

Please eat this food with us,

that we may all be nourished.

Please share this walk with us

that we may all know nature's peace.

Please rest in this warm house

that we may come to know each other.

Please sleep under these soft blankets

that we may know safety.

May all be fed.

May all be safe.

May all be healed.

May all be loved.

Amen.

Practice

Many years ago, a wise person encouraged me to set aside some time to reflect on the deepest desire of my heart and to create a personal intention for my life. Here's what I wrote:

May I embody grace and gratitude so as to bless all those around me.

I wrote the words on an index card and repeated them over and over again. To this day, I still repeat the words to myself. They continue to guide my life. I encourage you to create your own intention. Allow the words to carry you through the week, the season, or a lifetime.