Daily Practice and a Poem of Thanksgiving

The thing about a daily practice is that in order to get better you must practice it daily.  Brilliant insight... I know.  

Yet on this stormy Sunday afternoon I am just sitting down to "make" myself write.  I am tired.  Two days of Dragon Con and dancing way into the early morning with the love of life has worn me out.  

I am full of great memories and my body can still sway with the music and yet in the same breath it is saying, "Stop. Take a break and rest."  

So today, even though I had grand plans to get to the Decatur book festival I am honoring my body's wisdom and resting.  

I've been thinking about this post this morning and the headache that has been plaguing me and wondering what it is I have to share today.  I have been wanting to share some of my poetry.  Yesterday I bravely told a friend that next year I want to participate in the Decatur book festival by reading some of my poetry.  I am fascinated by Slam Poetry and have set a goal for my self to write and perform some in 2014.  

I just went and grabbed one of my favorite journals off my bedroom bookshelf.  It's called A Women's Journal which has a beautiful hard back blue cover with a delicate bouquet of flowers on the front and was filled with blank pages and quotes by amazing women when Joe gave it to me years ago as a gift.  

This journal holds pieces of my soul:  Poetry, Sammie's tiny baby foot print (from 11 years ago) her birth story and notes from several sacred retreats.  Needless to say it is yummy.  Just opening it feels like greeting a true friend with a warm hug and the sigh of satisfaction you get when you know that you are loved.  

Today I picked the poem Thanksgiving to share with you.  It was written during a women's retreat and is one of my favorites.  Several years ago I sent it with my sister into the desert at Burning Man as my art to be used in ceremony.  

Today and tomorrow wrap up another year of Burning Man, Dragon Con and the Decatur Book Festival.  Three amazing events that celebrate creativity and artists and each one in different ways call to my soul.  So in honor of this fabulous weekend which is honoring creativity all across the land and taking it back into the world I give you "Thanksgiving."


"Thanksgiving" 
 by C. Gautreaux


You were there.

I feel it in my being.

From the moment we first met
I know we had loved before.

You are my sister and my friend.

Together we have shared may lifetimes.

You were there when spirit looked around and chose our paths.

You were holding my hand, surrounding me in light
and searing the message into my soul...

I'll be there.