Gratitude vs. Reverence

I wanted to share with you this image that I found in my camera today. It so perfectly reflects how I feel about all there is to give thanks for: The beauty and grace of nature, the magic of light and space, earth and water. The mystery of all that we are given.And the capacity for reverence of the human soul.I had an insight today thinking about reverence. I saw that Reverence is the deeper dimension of Gratitude.

While being grateful for our material and mundane blessings – having enough to eat, a roof over our head, physical health – is a huge step forward in realization of the things we normally take for granted, reverence goes one step further in noticing the mystery that such things exist at all, and noticing that we did nothing to earn our blessings.

Gratitude keeps us from being cavalier about our blessings.

Reverence humbles us before our blessings.

So gratitude is being conscious of our blessings, while reverence is being conscious of the SOURCE of those blessings. It takes us to an even more profound relationship to our life.

May you be blessed and safe this holiday.  And may magic, mystery, and reverence always have a place to live in your heart.