On Gratitude


“How is it you are so happy all the time?” the old man asked the Child.

“I stay steady even as the things around me, and within me, change.”

“What do you mean?”

“This,” said the Child.  And as he spoke, the Child swirled the winter winds into his hands and tossed them back into the sky as spring.  Flowers bloomed over the grass, like a river of color, birds banked turns around them, bees hummed through the sweet, earth-scented air.  And as this all turned round them, the old man overheard the Child whispering, “Thank you,” to each and everything he saw, heard, and felt.  In a few moments, the Child cupped spring in his hands, shook it a little, cast it into the air where it descended around them, landing as summer.  Fresh fruit hung heavily from the trees, fish jumped in the pond, cicadas droned, hidden in the lush, swaying trees.  And as the old man and the Child spun around in the field, laughing, the Child paused, looked deep into the world and said, “Thank you.”  And just as the old man was thinking of lulling in the summer sun, the Child swished his hands into the sky and turned the air as if it were water.  With a flourish, the Child spun the air to a stop and when it did, gold and red leaves whirled everywhere, sheaves of corn leaned against doorways, the smell of mulled cider scented the clouds, a clean, brisk chill flowed through them.  And as the two raced about trying to catch the falling leaves, the old man heard the Child stop and say,“Thank you.”  Finally, the Child wound the air back up and turned it out back into the moment, where snow was falling, draping their shoulders.  The Child looked up into the sky, snowflakes kissing his face, and said, “Thank you.”  And after he did these things, he looked to the old man and asked, “Now do you see?”

“Yes,” said the old man, “the way to remain happy is to remain steady in gratefulness, no matter the season.”

“No matter the season, no matter the feeling, no matter the day, no matter the circumstances, no matter anything.  Happiness is not a feeling so much as a way of living.  And that way of living is to give thanks in all things.”

And with that the old man and the Child walked, hand in hand, towards the blossoming horizon.

Copyright Joseph Anthony of the Wonder Child Blog


Using Your Gifts, Sharing Your Light

Once upon a time the Moon was happily reflecting the light of the Sun when a nearby planet said to her, “Excuse me, Ms. Moon, doesn’t it bother you that you do not shine your own light? I mean, shouldn’t you be trying to develop your own ways of shining?”  The Moon slowly turned her face towards the planet, “Bother me not to shine?  Dear One, there are many ways to shine.  The Creator saw fit to endow me with a silvery complexion, one that does not give off a light of its own.  One could say it just isn’t a talent I have been given.  I used to try, eons ago, to make my face shine, but I simply do not have that skill.  One day, I saw the Sun and asked if He would share His light with me, and of course, he said yes.  Now I am the light of the night sky.  I am an inspiration to generations of poets and singers.  I use what I have been given; I use it in such a way as to honor the gifts of others.  My gift is to reflect, to utilize the light of those around me.  So, you see, I am shining.”  The nearby planet frowned and turned away, feeling secretly green with jealousy.  For she was billions of years of old and still trying to figure out which talents she should develop and which ones she should ask for help with.  Now she spins around and around judging others for what they do and do not do.

Copyright Joseph Anthony of the Wonder Child Blog


Justice

Justice.  From the Latin iustus, meaning “upright,” and also from, ious, meaning, “sacred formula.” 

The villagers stood in a circle around their king and queen.  Moving slowly, like stately magical ships, the king and queen stopped at each villager to bestow gifts and blessings.  To each one they presented a gift that was uniquely suited to the destiny of that villager.  To each one they bestowed a blessing that trickled down to the heart.    Some gifts appeared, to the jealous ones, to be finer than other gifts.  Some blessings consisted of a nod, the wink of a twinkling eye, or a kiss or the touch of a hand.  Others were secrets murmured into waiting ears that opened the souls of the hearers like the dawn.  The jealous villagers wondered what words were spoken.  And as each villager departed carrying the king and queen’s blessings and gifts, the foolish wondered why they had been given what they had been given.  The wise used their gifts and blessings to become the kings and queens of their own lives.

Copyright Joseph Anthony of the Wonder Child Blog


We Are Triune Beings

We Are Triune Beings.  The Creator layered us all with three beautiful coats.  One is made from the silver-tipped feathers of a falcon and gives us the power to think and to soar and to dream.  Another is golden, made from the fine, shimmering fabric of the wings of the sun.  It shines with the fire of desire. The last coat, the one that covers the others, is fashioned from silken scales and sewn with silken seams.  It is made of the wings of dragons.  All three coats are alive.   We wear living wings of thought that we must train to take us where we need and want to go.  We wear the living cloak of love which we must use to shine and burn for the love and service of others.  We also wear the wings of the body, which carries with them the instincts for the love of the smell of the earth.  To gain self-control, we must not forget the outer coat.  When the other two coats are flapping out of control, either with passion or with scattered, unfocused energy, tighten the outer coat with a walk in nature or with the playing of a musical instrument.  If needed, release the energy of the other coats with a baseball bat to a pile of wood.  Twist a towel.  The outer coat experiences what the other two feel.  Self-control means using the glory of all three coats to the benefit of the one wearing them—the king and queen inside.  And remember, when we struggle for self-control, the Creator spun the stars from the loom of the night sky in part so we would turn our faces upwards during times of darkness and pray both prayers of gratitude and prayers for strength.  Be the answers to each-other’s prayers.  Be each other’s stars.  No one gains self-control alone.

Copyright Joseph Anthony of the Wonder Child Blog


Loving Your Neighbor As Yourself

Jesus said to the young man, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”  “What does that mean?” asked the young man, “isn’t loving yourself vain?”  Jesus smiled and said, “Vain? No child, loving yourself is not vain, it is a commandment.  The Creator made you—you are a child of the Divine—to love yourself is to love the gift you’ve been given—the gift of who you are.”  “But how do you do that?” the young man asked.  “Shine,” said Jesus.  “Shine like the sun.  Be the real you.  Live the life you were created to live.  Live your dreams.  Then you will be loving yourself.  And,” Jesus continued before the young man could interject, “when you are living the life you were created to live you will automatically be loving your neighbor as well.  Shining your light reflects the Creator’s light, my light, your light, your neighbor’s light.  We all shine a little brighter when you love yourself enough to be yourself, when you love yourself enough to shine.”


Copyright Joseph Anthony of the Wonder Child Blog


Loving Yourself, the Art of Positive Self-Talk

 

Once upon a time an old man and the Holy Child sat in silence by the riverside.  After a while, the old man heard the Child talking to himself, or so it seemed.  As the old man leaned in closer to listen, these are the words he heard:

“You are beautiful.  I am so happy you were born.  I love you.  You are the perfect weaving of Sky and Earth, the keeper of holy fire and soothing water.  I want you to be happy, so I will sing this day, sing your praises, give thanks for the life you give me.  I am so grateful that you carry me with such grace and generosity.  I love you.  I appreciate you.  Now let’s go play.”

And then he was quiet again.  Tears were streaming down his face. 

Finally the old man spoke: “That was a beautiful prayer.”

“Thank you,” said the Child.

“You must love God very much.”

“I do, but those words were not spoken for God.”

“Then who were you talking to?”

“Myself,” said the Child, reaching down and cupping his hand into the cool water.

“Yourself?” said the old man surprised.

“Yes,” laughed the Child, “don’t you talk to yourself that way?”

“No,” replied the old man, staring at the flowing river, “never.”

“Now’s a good time to start,” said the Child, as he rose and took the old man by the hand, “never has ended.  The time to love yourself has come.”

 

Copyright Joseph Anthony of the Wonder Child Blog