"I had heard the spiritual teaching that a person must be in a state of grace in order to receive grace. That rang true for me, so I tried to apply it in my words and actions with pregnant and laboring women. That mother's demeanor, throughout her quick, intense labor (often the most painful), was calm and assured—as long as everyone in her presence maintained the same sense of gratitude, courage, and surrender to something higher than all of us, which she was holding. As I attended more births, I could see how choosing to be grateful could help a woman in pain begin to move away from doubt, fear, paranoia, anger, resentment, blame, or shame in moments of crisis. It can certainly take a huge leap of faith to move to gratitude when we feel that we are being crushed by circumstances beyond our ability to bear anymore. However... when we can come to a moment of gratitude in the middle of a greater storm than we've ever experienced, we may be able to relax a little, and surrender ourselves to receiving help. Choosing gratitude, moment by moment, opens the channel for grace." Ina May Gaskin
