While it may seem cliché, the next few days are a time to reflect on what blessings we have in our lives. Fall is the time of harvests for many different faiths and philosophies, a time to prepare for winter, reap what has been sewn, and to share with friends and families the celebraition of another year complete. The world around us may be in the process of going to sleep for the winter but it has offered up one final gift for us in the form of the last harvest.
We are blessed daily with the gift of life and the gift of consciousness. While the day-to-day grind may wear on us and occasionally grind down our resolve, capturing the small joys of life helps move through life. Capturing in our minds the glories of a fall sunset, the winter snow on the ground, the memory of spring and summer in the air creates a connection not only with nature but also with those around us with whom we share these memories. Humanity is a complex series of connections that takes individuals and creates a community, be it as small as a family or as large as the global community is itself. Drawing resolve and energy from these connections can energize us and restore some semblance of faith and hope.
This is a time to enjoy the fruits of our labors both material and spiritual. It is also a time to share with those who need a hand to steady themselves. As winter sets in, family comes together to once again reaffirm the ties that bind them. While the need for pure survival against the cold night may have become a thing of the past for most, there are those whose light could be enhanced by the fires of love, harmony, and peace. We live as a community and as a community we live.
Xiong Nai Xin Retreat 
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