In this work, I express where I have been in life recently, gratitude, along with my deep love for God.

I have a confession to make: I have not written in a long time. 
The reason for this is, primarily, that I went through a long series of personal events this past summer that actually caused my creativity—my impassioned desire to share my thoughts with the world through words—to be vastly dulled. I can not begin to share with you the details, so I will simply say that I am absolutely doing much better… but even now, it is still difficult for me to be creative in the ways that I used to be before this summer began. 

Anyway, today is both the first day of October (!!) and the feast day of St. Thérèse of Lisieux (my Patron Saint), so I decided that I am going to at least try and write something, even if it is small. She has beautifully inspired me; and she wrote, “May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are borne of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us." 

Reflecting on these beautiful words from St. Thérèse has proven to be a wonderful idea. Because even if I can not write very well I can still be truly thankful for everything that I do have. My life, in its beautiful simplicity, has been very stable and peaceful over these last few months. I don’t have all that much to share with the world except for the simple things that I do in a day, which sounds something like, “I study for my classes, go on walks outside, and watch movies with my parents.” But even though my life is somewhat boring, and even though there are things I wish I could change, my many blessings are not something I take lightly. I know how easily things can change; millions people in the world live lives that are uncertain, chaotic, dangerous, and full of constant suffering. That being said, something that I have been doing since the start of July is gratitude journaling, which has helped me reach this perspective. It has helped immensely, and it’s something that I have strongly recommended to all of my friends. Some things that I’ve written down include: my family and all they do for me, having access to clean water and electricity, beautiful music that connects me to God and to love, sharing my thoughts with other people, my peaceful and simple life, the people I know who care about me, going on walks outside, the feeling of the sun on my skin, having deep conversations, all of my favorite snacks, reading my favorite romance novels, God’s infinite and loving presence, the smell of my favorite candles, the beauty of the universe, opening my heart to love and connection, living more in the present moment, and all of my passions in life. 

Showing gratitude for the simple things that you have in life truly can change things for you. It opens your heart toward beautiful things—because ultimately, being thankful opens your heart toward the things of God, even if you don’t actively assent to His existence. A close friend recently asked me, “What is the most important lesson you have learned in your life?” … and I paused. For a long time. I simply could not respond, until I said, “That there is nothing greater than the love of God.” You see, all beautiful things in this world are fleeting, but beauty is the inner luminescence of truth. And once we arrive at truth, we can quickly find ourselves in the infinitely interesting journey that it is to know God Himself; the One whose inner luminescence is only ever pure love. 

As St. Thérèse has said, “May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are borne of faith in yourself and others.” 

—Essay by Samantha Fuchsgruber

Date // 01. October 2024

@LockheartArdenPublishing