Seeing Our Beauty

This year has been tough; one of the toughest. For so many reasons; in so many ways.  Yet through the darkest of dark, gratitude remained; gratitude remains.

I’m grateful for the many people in my amazing community who have helped, supported, and loved me; who continue to help, support, and love me.  I’m grateful for loving the meaningful coaching & leadership development work I have the gift of getting to do with some of the bravest and most courageous people I’ve had the honor of knowing. I’m grateful for my German Shepherd pup who looks out for me in every way.  I’m grateful for the grounding power of nature and getting to be out in it.

I’m grateful. Simply grateful.

I had the honor of getting to see Mary Chapin Carpenter perform this month. She’s one of my favorite all-time artists.  She is a brilliant story teller and musician with a hauntingly beautiful voice.  “Deep Deep Down Heart” has been on repeat for me from her latest album, “The Things That We Are Made Of.”

The lyrics speak to and of my heart.  Of the necessity to go deep and trust ourselves, even when our hearts may break.  To be vulnerable and courageous with ourselves first.  To let the past go so our future can unfold.

I’m grateful for my deep deep down heart.

Enjoy.

“How do you know what you know
Because you’ve seen it with your eyes?
How do you know where to go,
How to identify your guides?
How do you see what is next
In your palm or a show of cards?
How do you learn to detect
The outlines of a scar?

Now the sky holds the night,
As the trees hold the shade
And the road holds the map
Of every journey I’ve made
And the clouds hold the sigh
Of the wind and the rain
In my deep, deep down heart
My deep, deep down heart

Now these wheels go so fast
There is nothing here to hold;
I keep pushing back the past
So that the future can unfold
I guess the best of my mistakes
Show me all that I don’t know
But this strange kind of ache
Never seems to let me go

And the sky holds the night,
And the trees hold the shade,
And the stars hold the light
That’s traveled all this way
But who holds my hand
So I am not afraid
In my deep, deep down heart
My deep, deep down heart?

I thought I heard my name
Walking late tonight
From the porch after the rain
In this rowing down the light
There was no one standing there
Beyond the lantern’s cast,
But just voices in the air
But just questions that ask,

How the sky holds the night?
How the trees hold the shade?
How your sleep holds your dreams
Till they shake you awake?
And how love holds you up
And then chooses to break
Your deep, deep down heart
Your deep, deep down heart?”

Mary Chapin Carpenter

The post My Deep Deep Down Heart of Gratitude appeared first on ripp leadership.