Real life

gratitude and acceptance are closely related but certainly not the same for me. gratitude i can practice more comfortably, it flows out from my heart toward everything in my life, its universal, its inclusive of struggle and challenges. but acceptance can be uncomfortable, it can be sticky, it can be scary, it can require me to look in the mirror and see the face of my past without judging myself, to recognize who i am not who i wish i was, and then to extend that out to all people and situations in my life.

for the last 2 months i have been practicing bringing my courage, trust, gratitude and acceptance into an ever-deepening connection with virginia. its real life every day, and sometimes that is painful. comfort answers the pain, compassion answers the fear, and there is always plenty of time and space for me to take that walk through the valley of my own shadow, my own mortality, to recognize who i am and what i am bringing to the table.

i remember often a therapist i worked with saying to me "don't make an enemy of relationships", it helps me stay in my feelings, ground in the moment, really listen, really see the person i am with. so this is what i am celebrating today, for myself, for my lover and friend, for all my relations, for you and the whole world. real life is beautiful.