Thank You

Glastonbury Abbey

Gillian Cornwall, c. September 2015

We all do things. We are each independent beings, doing things, but it is all so much yelling into the wind unless there is someone to see us do it, hear us do it or feel our hearts as we do it; however; physical presence is not in the least bit necessary for the acknowledgement of the existence of our acts and thoughts as we are all unique parts of the one universal energy force. 

When I consider my blog, I am honoured and amazed by the expansive readership. There are so many of you I have never met in person and yet, with some of you, I have built a connection as strong as that of the deepest, lifelong friendships. There are those of you who have messaged my through some of my most difficult and darkest times, those of you with whom I seem to check in quite regularly - just for a sweet, "Hello! How are you?" There are those of you I was able to meet this year on my overseas voyage whom I had only known through social media for several years. 

The point is, what a magical web we have - both on line and through the interconnectedness of our energy force! With each of our creations through thought and action, we change our world and we choose the nature of our energy behind those creations. We often choose our state of anger, frustration, fear, sadness and joy and support. Let us not forget here, the many who cope with physical and / or mental illness - those for whom the choice does not exist without great work, care and medication. This in itself is a good reminder that we can choose compassion and helpfulness before judgement. We can also lift one another up for our difference, our difficulties and celebrate one another for our capacity to endure, to carry on, to teach the state of grace through hardship and loss that so easily eludes us at times. 

In all things, we make a choice on the path we take. We choose how we will cope through our difficulties and the difficulties of others. Remember those Four Agreements and the words of Oprah Winfrey:

"I've talked to nearly 30,000 people on this show, and all 30,000 had one thing in common -- they all wanted validation. ... They want to know, do you hear me? Do you see me? Does what I say mean anything to you?"

These are the things that keep my hand on the tiller and the ship on course. 

Oh, don't get me wrong! I go astray regularly. Windows 10 brings out the very worst in me and computer problems send my blood pressure through the roof. Being treated as "less than" for my sexual orientation, my (absence of) gender identity and speaking my truth in my workplace sends me right 'round the twist. I can become tired, frustrated and completely depleted ...as some of you may remember before I went to my UK homeland to restore myself this year.

In these difficult times, it has been you - all of you who chose to see, to reach out, to assist. You are my light and my gratitude is immeasurable and there are way too many of you to even start a list because I would inevitably exclude someone. In fact, it truly is each of you because we are one and each of you, with your unique energetic signal, holds me up when I am down, holds up a mirror for me so I may better see the path I am taking and where I may need to adjust my direction. Each of you is a gift to me and a gift to one another. How many of us shall cross paths in this life and never know we have done so? How many of us never know the impact we have made upon one another? We change the world through a passing smile, a shout out in social media - through that, "Hello. I see you and you matter to me." 

I thank you, each of you, as this year draws to a close, because you all mean so much to me. I am grateful for the fact that you take the time to read my words, that you share them with others, that you take the time to comment, that you inspire me to be better. I am grateful for your very existence, for the intimate thoughts you have shared. For those of you who don't comment nor interact - I am grateful to you for taking the time to be present here and I hope the work brings something useful to you. 

As 2015 ends, I truly want you to know that you are loved, that you are unique and essential and that there is hope and opportunity to enjoy the gift of life in the simple things: the sound of a bee buzzing in the flowers, collecting pollen to make honey, a wee plant pushing through the pavement and reaching for the sun, the glistening of a grain of sand or a thirst-quenching drink of water. 

Let us remember those around the world who cannot see this and send them what we can - love, money, resource - a helping hand, for if we are reading this, we have more than many others who live every day focused only on survival, without the luxury of introspection on a better life because they focus 100% of their energy on simply staying alive.

May each of you find joy, peace, love and contentment in life and thank you so much for your light. 

In gratitude, 

-Gillian Cornwall, c. December 27, 2015

The Ancient Plane Tree - University of Oxford

"All of us need support over the years..."

Gillian Cornwall, c. September, 2015

 A glorious garden in Stow on the Wold
Gillian Cornwall, c. September, 2015