we still live in fear of being infected with the covid-19 virus, though there seem to be few infected here in the county where we live. the rate of infection in our state is about two people in one hundred thousand, one of the lowest incidences in the country, but my wife and i are still trying to be very careful. we continue to stay home except to go out for groceries and medicines or to take short drives to look at the scenery in the mountains nearby or visit my wife's sister and her husband. we plan to continue to live this way for the foreseeable future even while our state and the states around us are easing their strictures to varying degrees.
in the midst of our fear, i was struck the other day as i did my walking meditation by how much there is to be thankful for, not the least of which is that my wife and i and all our close family are free of the virus. i looked around at all the beautiful objects my wife has collected for our home over the years, many of which hold some fond memory for us, and was thankful for the happy memories that they evoke. out of the window i could see the not-so-distant mountains and was grateful for the natural beauty that surrounds us. i thought of our nice home and was thankful for the shelter it provides while so many are without permanent shelter. i thought of my wife and the love we have shared for over fifty years and of the good times we continue to have. i remembered our children and their situations. they have work they can do from home, their income is sufficient to provide them with a high standard of living, and they are healthy, kind people, and for all those things i am filled with gratitude. i was, and continue to be, overwhelmed by our good fortune. we had some hand in creating it, but much of it is the result of happy chance, coming to us undeserved.
yes, i have much to be thankful for. in the face of my blessings, there is little to fear so long as i use common sense. life is good, indeed. even if i were to come down with covid-19 or some other disease, i can still be filled with thanksgiving for all that life has been and continues to be. to be surrounded by love and a degree of security is all one could wish for. it is enough.
may each of us look for those things which bring us joy and give thanks for them. may we see the wonderful opportunities that life affords us and seize them. may we do whatever we can to make life better for those around us, giving of our energies and material wealth to help others. may we not allow fear to rule our lives. may love and compassion be foremost in our minds. shalom.
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