Thoughts and Gratitude

I have been doing some thinking about how incredible the events in my life have been this past year. This time last year, I had no idea if Gracie would ever be coming to us. All roads for her seemed to stop at dead ends. I also had no real hope that I would ever become pregnant. We spent almost a decade sorting through the pain of infertility, the loss of miscarriages and the torture of failed adoption processes.
The reason I wanted to share this is that there are two passages that helped me through some dark times. It is easy to look back at those years and feel like it was worth it now. But I didn't know then what the outcome of those years would be. I spent a lot of time searching for answers and wondering about the future. These two passages helped me cope during those times. I am grateful for how the passages helped me look at life and loss and pain. I am sharing them because I know that we all have our own private dramas and sorrows. Maybe these passages can help someone else as they did me.

Salutation to the Dawn
Look to this day!
For it is life,
The very life of life.
In its brief course
Lie all the verities
And realities of your existence;
The bliss of growth,
The glory of action,
The splendor of beauty.
For yesterday is but a dream,
And tomorrow is only a vision;
But today well-lived
Makes every yesterday a dream of happiness,
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore, to this day!
Such is the Salutation to the Dawn.
-Kalidasa


Psalm 126: 5 - 6
Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.
(Nothing lasts forever. Not even pain. Sometimes the only thing that keeps us going is the reminder that this time of suffering with also pass.)

Love, Mel