The gift of oneself

I read a great quote yesterday, from Mother Theresa:

"We can do no great things. Only small things with great love."

How wise that is!


I know there have been times in my life when I've berated myself for not doing more or thinking I could have tried harder in a particular situation - chances are that you've done this to yourself too. But the truth is: all any of us can do is our best, in any given moment. And it doesn't matter if that isn't something big or grand - what matters is that we put our hearts into it. Because bringing about change in the world happens through doing one small thing at a time... with love.

I think we need to keep reminding ourselves of this, don't we? Especially when looking forward and imagining all the wonderful things we'd like to manifest in our lives. Lose sight of where you are right now, and the importance of being truly present in the moment, and it's easy to get overwhelmed with how much there still is to do, and how far there is to go on the journey. But break it down into what you need to concentrate on at this point in time, and give it your complete and loving attention, and life becomes breathtakingly easy and flowing and deeply satisfying.

You are your own masterpiece...
John Ruskin, a 19th century English art critic, wrote:

"When love and skill work together,
expect a masterpiece."

Of course this doesn't just apply to creating art, but to living life in general. It's that principle of "do what you love, and love what you do" - something that's fundamental to the way I choose to lead my life. It's one of the the keys of living what I call a "soul-full life". Yes, it's good to do your best, but it's not about expecting yourself to be the world's greatest artist or movie star or astronaut or inventor or whatever else - it's about allowing yourself to be the best "you", which is your very own masterpiece. It's about valuing and appreciating exactly who you are and how special you are. It's the unique gift of yourself that you are sharing - with family and friends, with colleagues and clients, and with the world.

This brings to mind one of my favourite quotes, by the French playwright Jean Anouilh, who expressed this idea beautifully:

"Love is, above all, the gift of oneself."

To live your life with love, and to be grateful for each moment, is great advice to live by. The more you express love and gratitude in your life, the more you give energy to this and the greater the flow of positive experiences.

Try this for yourself...
So... what are you grateful for in your life right now? Every day, for the rest of this week, try beginning your day by expressing gratitude. What are the three (or more) things you wish to give thanks for today? This might be people or experiences in your life, specific talents or qualities in yourself, special places or things in your environment... or simply that the birds are singing and the sun is shining! Focus on your heart centre as you do this, and feel the warmth of gratitude radiating outward. A beautiful way to start your day...

Here is a lovely affirmation to take away with you, from Denise Linn:

This is a glorious time to be alive, and I am so grateful!