Blessings and Blemishes

While driving through the auburn hills of Eastern Washington, I stopped at a roadside fruit stand with larger-than-life advertisements for apples, pears, and more. Boxes of fruit displayed the abundance of autumn in the Pacific Northwest, and after some browsing, I chose a box of brightly colored honey crisp apples for homemade applesauce. Once home, the pealing and trimming began, and I discovered the bumps, dimples, and sweetness of each individual fruit. 

The past month of November has offered many opportunities for reflection. With the passing of All Souls Day, SDI invited you to embrace the closeness of your ancestors and notice that “the veil between heaven and the earth is thin.” As the curtain fell on this month of remembrance, two important days come to mind as turning our hearts toward the blessing and abundance in our lives.

On November 24, the United States celebrated Thanksgiving, a feast that beckons individuals to recall the blessing of community and friendship while gathered at table. The following day, on November 25, Muslims around the world welcomed the beginning of the Islamic New Year with a time of introspection and reflection. Both of these days share a theme of recollection, noticing the graces and blessings that swell in our lives. 

Mahatma Gandhi is quoted saying, “My imperfections and failures are as much a blessing from God as my successes and my talents, and I lay them both at his feet.” Peeling thirty plump apples, it’s hard to overlook the integrity of each piece of fruit under its perfect or rumpled skin. Once peeled, sliced, and simmering on the stove, it’s impossible to separate out what arrived with a bruise.

Wherever you are in this rich season of life, SDI invites you to open your heart with gratitude for the blessings and the blemishes. Take a moment to embrace your abundance and shortcomings, and “lay them both” at the feet of God.