Nurturing Our Blessings

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Each moment of each day I can tap into the grace of my life. I try to be aware of the ordinary blessings and my gratitude grows. Sometimes the blessings are so commonplace that I take them for granted.

As I write to you today I have a visitor with me who comes each month and makes a “mini” retreat at Sinsinawa Mound. Her presence here makes me aware of many aspects of my daily blessings. She articulates the blessings she notices: . . . the beauty of our land, . . .the friendliness of our community, . . . our daily chanted community prayer and meaningful Eucharist. The more she comes the more blessings she expresses: . . . the broad experiences of our Sisters, . . .the wealth of our education and the opportunities we have to grow as life-long-learners, . . .our awareness of critical concerns of our world and cosmos. . .commitment to peace and justice. Most of all she notices the love and care of our Sisters for one another. When she leaves, my heart is filled with gratitude for my life here at “the Mound”. 

Each summer I am part of a retreat team at Siena Retreat Center in Racine, WI. The “Nurturing Life’s Blessings" Retreat always focuses on deepening our gratitude for our blessings, big and small. Over the years my awareness of and gratitude for my many blessings have grown continuously. 

How are you nurturing blessings in your life?

Mary Therese Johnson, OP
Sinsinawa, WI

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