This Thanksgiving—My abundant gratitude

by Michael Ketterhagen

Please permit me to be quite personal!

As I reflected on Thanksgiving Day 2021, I realized that I feel overwhelmed with humble gratitude for all the blessings that I have received during this past year. I have so much to be thankful for since my diagnosis of multiple myeloma last March.

The Divine Mother has not only pushed my spiritual journey into high gear, but has shown me how many people love and care for my well-being and my life.

Through my cancer I have learned to place my trust in The Divine Mother’s loving compassion by placing my trust in the medical world of stem cell transplants and the complementary medical world of other therapies. I have learned my Beloved’s constant presence and union with my spirit by serenading me with internal music whenever I needed Her guidance and encouragement for that day and time. I have learned that this Divine Mother not only loves me but has prompted dozens, if not hundreds of people, to send me cards, well wishes and prayers. All those loving intentions have amassed in the energetic realms of reality to give me healing and strength, especially during the hard times.

I have not been alone on this journey at all!

Even people whom I don’t know have come forth with prayers and blessings from groups like the Congregation of St Agnes Sisters and Associates and the God Box started by my former colleague Lynn Neu. I am confident that my accelerated healing throughout my journey is because of all the prayers, thoughts and wishes “spoken” for me. Even when one person (and there were many) said that they were thinking of me, I felt lifted up by the power of those energy forces. I felt showered with strength and rejuvenation. I felt their intentions joining forces with the Divine Mother in advancing my highest good.

So, please let me not only say thank you during this Harvest Thanksgiving time of the year to our Divine Mother and her love, but to each of you and to all those who don’t even know that I am thanking them here in my blog.

My heart pours out gratitude and humble thanks for:

• The Grain of Wheat Community board members,

• The yoga teachers and students at the Fond du Lac Center for Spirituality and Healing (The Center),

• The Farm2Table Co-op & Café board members,

• The priests and parishioners at Holy Family Catholic Community,

• Lynn Neu and the God Box,

• Carol Braun and the Sisters and Associates of the Congregation of St Agnes,

• My past students and colleagues at Marian University,

• All my past students at The Center,

• All who sent me cards and emails wishing me health and healing,

• My brother and sister,

• My children and grandchildren,

• The Rottier-Voell family,

• Kathy’s House volunteers,

• My close friends and neighbors, and especially,

• My Beloved life partner and wife, Mary. Mary has been the physical manifestation of the Divine Mother throughout this whole time.

I thank God for all of you!

I ask the Divine Mother to bless you all!

For it is because of your union with Her wishes for my health and healing that I am filled with life and renewed commitment to serve Life!

Alleluia!

Namaste’