Show and Tell: Abundance

We like to celebrate the abundance of things in our life. We use it to teach the children gratitude and satisfaction for our experience. We recognize that others don't have even that.

This time of year is full to bursting!

Emma's bush is full of gorgeous red leaves. Even as Comedian grieves the fact that they will 'fall off and die" she makes a point to mention they will "pop back after the snow melts".

And, after a year when the topic of in-town summer conversations lamented on various responses to, "And how was your garden this year?" we consider ourselves wildly abundant to have this:

I mean, look at the size of that blue hubbard squash

The chickens are all grown up. They say "don't count your chickens", but I do. There are 23 and even though only about half are currently laying we fill an egg carton a day.

A pantry full of canned vegetable will sustain us for the winter.

The outdooor furnace we (Um: I mean he) fills morning and night sits next about 22 cord of wood.

And so, it seems that if the world were to stop turning for a few moons we would be allright. For we have more than enough, no - much more than enough to be happy and healthy.

What are you grateful for that others might not have? What are you showing and telling?

Show and Tell - Abundance

There is a collective shift happening across the country and beyond. We are being told that our thoughts hold power - that focusing our thoughts intensely and with "unwaivering faith" towards our ultimate goal will, in fact, allow it to happen.

The power of positive thinking is a vast topic and one I don't intend to dive into in a philosophical way - I know, shocking. I'll just say that I'm not against it. And - that it's effects on one's home life cannot be disputed.

Case in Point - my husband. About 18 months ago he watched The S.ec.ret. Slowly, I watched him shift his way of thinking. His scowl was replaced with smiles. His quick responses to the children replaced with a listening ear and measures of patience for the way they see the world.

He set goals and began to work toward them, yet didn't give up when the shape of his vision shifted - becoming not-exactly what he intended.

His new favorite word became "abudant".

We are so abundant.

Sure - let's get pizza, because we are abundant.

Oh - the world economy is in the toilet? Meh- I'm still going to put that 8 person, 40 adjustable jet, built in speaker system hot tub* on my vision board, becaus ...(you guessed it) we're so abundant!

We, as a couple, try to approach the world with this attitude ; not negating the current "climate" as they say (And why do they use that weather word? But - that's a post for another day.) but keeping-on-keepin'-on believing that we will weather this storm. (oh, maybe that's why the weather vocabulary..sorry)

But, his love and over-use of the word abundant could not be denied. (I feel like I should throw a fingerboard in here just for good measure.) And so, on my way home from my looooong trip away when I stopped in a B.g L.ots to get a big bottle of water and spied this:

I just knew I had to get it. I was giddy with repressed laughter for the remaining 2 hours of my drive (snow, sleet and freezing rain aside) - for I had my presentation line poised on the tip of my tongue.

"Hey baby! Now you can eat your abundance."

And - he does. And - he quite likes it!

* - Yes! He shares a love-of-everything-hot-tub with me!