The Season of Gratitude

Spring, my friend is coming. Everything is newer and faster and farther away until the summer months when the leaves on the trees are barely showing with the promise of more rain. I can look at leaves and the Baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan, and the beautiful colors of the leaves that fill my glasses, and the green of the grass and the trees, and I can break out into song, and dance a little. All of my springs of the day are Baptisms, where some cool stuff happens.

Spring is the time that all those things that show up in my life, for no reason or occasion, are taking place. It is the prime time for a relationship to start up or fall apart. It is the time that all the connections of our lives are made, so all the relationships are either fulfilling or they end, as mine did a few years ago. It is the season of joy because all of the stuff that makes up our dark moods and mutual problems get taken care of, in this season. It is the season of gratitude, because, well, stuff takes care of itself. It is the season of compassion, because, well, we have everything we need or could want. It is the season of love and peace, because, well, that’s the cycle that the universe functions on.

Spring is the season of new beginnings. The sunlight starts hammering away at the chill in the air. The days get longer and the weather stays milder for longer periods of time. The ground is digging deeper and all kinds of wonderful things start to show up. It is the season of affiliate marketing. It is the season of buying a book or a magazine or two, or an odds sheet, or a Powerball ticket, or a book, or some blue ribbon won in a drawing. It is the season of new beginnings.

So, ask yourself this question.

What is it that I want, right now, but that I don’t have?

James Thurber

In a humbling move, James reached into his inside pocket and showed me exactly what he had pulled out and placed in his inside pocket. He said, “What do you want? I’ll tell you what I want, but you have to give it to me. You have to give what you have to me.”

It struck me again as profound. We usually think of giving as having to give in order to receive, but James was saying this is not what he’s into. He already has it. He’s a master at getting what he wants when he wants it.

The first thing that struck me was the word ‘want.’ There are two ways to gain everything that you want. You either have it already or you acquired it as a result of hard work and action.

Most of us do get what we want, but only when it is exactly what we want, or until it is exactly what we’ve wanted. That’s not nearly as good as just wanting something, and it sure isn’t as easy. James said, “Wanting is for fools.”

Fool’s want is to have what they want and have it to hand—-it’s gift shopping. They approach life as if they already have it. Their favorite song, the new fragrance, the best burritos, the nicest clothes, the nicest house, or the nicest furniture. Or, they want health, wealth, or success just because it is what they want.

On the other hand, to be serious about getting what you want, you have to know what you want, see it clearly in your mind’s eye, and learn how to passionately give it to God without reservation.

Let’s say that you want to improve your life physically, and you have a clear picture on what it should be like. All that you see clearly is what you want. Then you give it to God, but only after you fully understand what it is that you are having. Then give it to God without holding anything back.

If you could let go of the idea of what you think you should have, and learn instead to give to God, learn what it is that you truly want, then you could let go of the idea of what it is you should do with your new desire and learn to accept what it is that you truly want.

In truth, God has already given you everything that you will ever need. He has already given you the grace to live this life. He has already given you the wisdom to interpret your dream for you, and guide you through the process. He has given you a will that he can put into action! He waits for you to give unconditionally, without reservation; He is waiting for you to want the good without the bad.