A recently received meditation from a former Santa Cruz County resident, Jim Burklo, seems an appropriate response to this day of Thanksgiving. Jim calls his meditation "The Angel's Bargain."
Jim has served as the Senior Associate Dean of Religious and Spiritual Life at the University of Southern California, and he is now the Pastor of the United Church of Christ in Simi Valley, California. Here is what Jim has to say in his recent meditation:
The Angel's Bargain
For a walk along a tumbling stream foaming in golden light - Congestive heart failure.
For enjoying the aroma of a juniper berry pinched open with fingernails - Cancer of the bladder.
For fascination with the pattern of migrating birds flying high - Parkinson’s disease.
For basking in sunshine while leaning against a smooth boulder - Lewy body dementia.
For the sight of a single strand of spider’s gossamer floating in the breeze - Macular degeneration.
For the sound of a toddler squealing with joy, both arms in the air - Rheumatoid arthritis.
For the privilege of existing in order to reflect the glory of the Universe back to itself - Bargain accepted.
oooOOOooo
Not so long ago, in one of these daily blog posts - in what amounted to my own meditation upon my age, and life - I confessed the following: "I have lived what has been a long and wonderful life. I am thankful for it, for everything!"
That is my thought today, too - and as Bob Dylan might have put it (has put it, actually): "So happy just to be alive, underneath the sky of blue."
Bargain Accepted!
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