“When you have come to the edge Of all light that you know And are about to drop off into the darkness Of the unknown, Faith is knowing One of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on or You will be taught to fly” ~ Patrick Overton

Many of us go through life with the mindset that obstacles in our way prevent us from achieving our dreams. Instead of forging forward with faith in ourselves and the guiding hand that created us, we turn back if we think the way is blocked.

Cultivate faith today. Have faith that there are no obstacles you cannot overcome. It may require work and thinking outside the box, but you already have everything you need to overcome them. Faith in yourself, faith in your abilities and faith in a higher power -- whether you prefer to call it the Universe or the Almighty God -- will carry you through.

Today, I am grateful for fellow writers who are always willing to share what they have learned, for readers who seek out the information I share and for publishers who make it possible for me to share my thoughts and skills with the world. 

I am grateful for sunshine, brightly-colored foliage and the awe-inspiring transition into fall. I am grateful for the invigorating fragrance of sheets dried on the clothesline, for fluffy pillows that cradle me in rest and for  my cat that purrs me to sleep. 

I am grateful for bright toadstools on the forest floor, a carpet of moss to cushion my feet and rocks that serve as a seat for weary travelers. I am grateful for babbling brooks that twist and turn making their way over the terrain, for darting fish who call it their home and for the giant woodpecker that swoops from tree to tree. 

I am grateful to be blessed with a family that I hold dear, for my children who make me proud and a spouse that is always there. I am grateful for brothers and sisters who have taught me how to be who I am, for the grandparents I never knew and for parents who have gone before me. 

And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop to share my day. May you cultivate the faith to overcome your obstacles today, as you go forward in the direction of your dreams.