Five Ribbons Baskets

I recently read an inspirational story by Mary Morrissey about a woman who had lived in the same neighborhood for many, many years. She saw the same people day after day, shopped in the same places. She essentially was living the same year over and over again. One New Year’s Eve this woman read a story to her granddaughter about a Native American elder who tells the children of his tribe that whatever animal they see on the first day of the new season would be thier guide for that year. You know what happened next–the little girl wanted to go outside and see her first animal of the new year! The woman and the child walked to the end of the street, and in each step the woman prayed they wouldn’t come up on a worm or a stink bug. Throughout the walk, the little girl pointed to things that caught her eye–the neighbor’s roses, and a small bike path that ran between the houses. The woman thought to herself that she had never noticed either of them before, had they always been there? As they walked down the path a stag bent his head and nodded to the woman and her granddaughter and the little girl was elated. “A magic deer! We saw a magic deer.”

The woman wondered how she could have lived in the same neighborhood for so many years and not seen the beauty that surrounded her. As we enter a new year of so many uncertainties about our nation and how the decisions of our government will affect our lives, our children’s and our neighbors’ lives, we still must pursue those things that give us life and that strengthen our faith. This year, don’t just look out the window and wonder. Step outside and let the sunshine hit your face. Blessings to you in 2013!

(You can find out more about Mary Morrissey at Dreambuilderprogram.com.)