As I thought about the next installment in the gratitude chronicles, I landed on what I call, Founder’s Week. Although the dates span more than a week, starting at the beginning of January through the middle five of the Divine Nine Black Greek-lettered organizations celebrate their founding. The need for such a entry was confirmed by a gratitude text I received from one of my line sisters on our org's Founder's Day. She like myself has become inactive in our organization. Our reasons vary, but the result is the same we are quiet, incognito members. My silence was awakened as I learned of the passing of a brother/friend I once was very close to. I was saddened greatly. Then I looked along my timeline, I mean really took in what I had noticed before, yet not allowed myself to fully acknowledge. I realized there is immense loss happening around all of us. As I reflected on my frat brother’s life, complicated feelings rose of other interactions that were far from sisterly or brotherly. Not caused by him but others resulting in me stepping away entirely. And just as I was prepared to harden my heart, it was made soft by gratitude. I was reminded of not just the authentic exchanges he and I shared, but of others, I met through the organization. I vividly recalled a group of sorors and bros who helped me through one of the darkest times of my life as a college student. I was grateful for the indubitable bond that grew with two of my line sisters that have spanned through marriages, divorces, children, and other life transitions. Yes, I have much to be grateful for. Memory is amazing yet it must be trained. Innately our recall flashes to the bad of a situation. However, gratitude offers us a chance to explore the gift(s) in the situation. Rarely is something all bad. Both loss and transition have a way of illuminating what is important, valued, even through the pain and, or uncertainty of it. Each calls us to reimagine a new normal. How we show up in that new normal is determined solely by our hearts. So, I ask, do you have a heart condition? If so, what is needed for it to be mended?
FOR REFLECTION
If your heart could speak, what would it say?
ACTION
Based on your answer are your actions and heart aligned?
If so, explore a new way to manifest that alignment.
If not, explore ways to make it so.
“May Your Hope Be Full” ™
Tamara
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