Gratitude

"gratitude" by Kelli Thomas

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines gratitude as "the state of being grateful: THANKFULNESS".

In our hectic, crazed lives, sometimes it is hard to remain in a state of "being grateful". When we find ourselves struggling to make ends meet, "thankfulness" can be difficult to achieve. When you are stuck in a traffic jam trying to get home after a long day, it can be hard to feel grateful. When your dreams are taking longer to manifest than you would like, frustration can set in.

But gratitude is one thing that we should all feel throughout the day. It takes practice sometimes to look for the good in a situation, but there is always a silver lining. There are always things to be grateful for.

If someone runs a red light and almost hits you, instead of screaming at them and allowing it to ruin your day, take a deep breath and feel gratitude that you are safe...they did not, in fact, hit you. Say, "thank you".

If you are on a rural highway and get stuck behind a massive tractor driving 30 mph and can't pass it, take a moment to enjoy the farmland surrounding you. Also, keep in mind that maybe you are being protected from something up ahead that is not meant for you. Maybe you were meant to slow down on this particular road for a reason. So instead of being impatient and trying frantically to pass the tractor, slow down, enjoy the view, and say, "thank you".

Be grateful for the little things in life. Even be grateful for things that annoy you at times. My daughter and I are very close. She calls and texts me frequently. If I ever feel myself getting annoyed that she is calling...AGAIN...to talk about skincare, I stop and think about just how much I love her. I think about how we are so close that she CAN call me twenty times to talk about her skin, or to ask what she should do with her life, or to ask me the difference between yellow squash and Butternut squash. Then, I think about what would happen if those calls and texts stopped. You bet I'm thankful for them. All 547,672 of them. My relationship with my daughter is too important to get annoyed by her blowing up my phone. I always say, "thank you" after I hang up.

I'm grateful for the conversations with my son about his beloved Montero. Besides his wife, that Montero is the love of his life! He has spent countless hours researching how to modify his Montero to be an off-road beast. When he calls to tell me all about it, I listen. I haven't the foggiest idea of what he is talking, but he does. He's passionate about it and I am grateful that he wants to share that with me. Again, I stop and think about just how much I love him. This is important to him and he's important to me, so I listen. And after we hang up, I always say, "thank you".

When you struggle to find something in your life for which to be grateful, get down to basics:
*you are alive
*you can breathe
*each morning you get a new start
*you have the power to do things differently
*you have eyes to read this
*you have fingers to scroll down
*you are loved

Many people start off each morning in gratitude. The moment their feet hit the floor, they say "thank you". Keep a gratitude journal and each day, write at least five things you are grateful for. Be grateful for the sun, be grateful for the rain. Be grateful for the delays, be grateful for the instant rewards. Being in a state of gratitude will always bring you more in which to be grateful for.

Look around. Think of 10 things you are grateful for at this very moment. If you read my last post, you know that at this moment I'm technically homeless and jobless. But as I write, I'm sitting in a comfy spot at my sister's house. There is a candle burning that smells amazing. My window is open allowing the fresh autumn air to fill my room. My sister's eight dogs are sleeping at the moment. My knee is getting stronger daily. I had hot coffee this morning when I first woke up. There is still money in the bank. I'm working on creating the life I want. The sun is shining after days of rain. I have people who love me. Did you count those? That was ten. Ten things I am grateful for at this very moment in my crazy, uncertain life. There is always something to be grateful for.