Some gifts leave you wondering. I read a post on Facebook about gifts that were not shiny and beautifully wrapped as being the better gifts. These are the presents that break you open to the Presence.  They strip you of your bows and tinsel. You are left to face the Truth. The emotional turmoil that can result may be overwhelming. Mary Oliver writes about it as a box of darkness. How can the pain and sorrow be a gift? 

The transformation that occurs when you raise your head out of the blackness and see the sun again for the first time can be phenomenal. Recently I was eating something and noticed that I had stopped being grateful for how amazingly delicious food was. Ah, I was raising my head and it felt so wonderful. When we get to caught up in the darkness that we forget about the Light, trouble settles in.  We need to see that odd gifts also carry a huge impact. They are beautiful in their own right because of this potential for growth and blessing. 

Today while driving once again in snowy weather, I spotted a black figure perched at the top of the tree. I had no time to stop unfortunately but I was certain I was looking at a large owl, probably a great grey. There in the tenseness of the road conditions a gift appeared. Rarely do you see such a thing in the day so close to the road. It was remarkable and I wish I had had enough time for a photo but alas, I did not.  Life too is like this. Sometimes an odd gift appears at a moment and we do not have time to process it. Take time later to give it some thought. Perhaps there is a message that needs exploring.

Peace,

Suzanne