GRATITUDE COMMENTARY: An “Attitude of Gratitude,” unfortunately has become a platitude, because being
grateful is essential to our happiness. Adversity can be like a tornado. It whirls into our lives and sucks away
everything we thought was valuable: Our health, our jobs, our relationships and more. We are left standing in the
wreckage, trying to piece our lives back together, which unfortunately cannot actually be done. However, we can piece
together a new life, find new things of value, and finally appreciate this gift of life we were given.
Gratitude is the glue that pieces our broken lives back together. We start with the small pieces. When you see a
beautiful sunset, you can say, “I’m grateful that I can see,” or when enjoying a delicious meal, you can be thankful to
have food to eat, or even when you are cleaning your house, you can give thanks for having a roof over your head.
Then you can move on to the big pieces, and try to be thankful for the adversity that brought you to a place of
gratitude. However, this part of the practice could take some time before you can truly feel it. I want to remind you
that all these practices are meant to help cultivate feelings. Don’t ever try to force yourself into trying to feel
something you actually don’t feel. Let it unfold in your life as you practice; eventually the feelings will become real.
Truly feeling gratitude requires a concerted effort on your part. I strongly suggest keeping a gratitude journal. Review
your day and then write down three things during your day for which you felt grateful. At the end of the month review
your entries, you may be surprised at how much you have had to be grateful for in your life. I feel the best book to
read to renew gratitude in your life is Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach. I will go out on a limb here and
make this bold statement, “As gratitude grows in your heart, so will happiness in your life.”
| If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. ~Meister Eckhart~ |
| NOVEMBER II |
GRATITUDE |
REPEAT ASPIRATION EVERY DAY FOR 7 DAYS WEEK 3 ASPIRATION: Today, I will start to keep a gratitude journal, making notes of things for which I am grateful. SUPPORTS ~DAY 1~ Take delight in small things because it is from tiny seeds that flowers grow. ~Innerspace ~DAY 2~ There is always, always, always something to be thankful for. ~Author Unknown ~DAY 3~ Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons. ~Ruth Ann Schabacker ~DAY 4~ Those who live in gratitude have abundance. ~ Jesus Gospel of Thomas ~DAY 5~ We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. ~Thornton Wilder ~DAY 6~ Everyday, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. ~ Dalai Lama ~DAY 7~ REST AND REVIEW Now, without judgment review your week. This week I started my journal and was amazed how many little things in life there are for which I am grateful and have overlooked. Now breathe in this feeling of gratitude. Then breathe out the wish: May everyone feel grateful for their lives. Now, look at your short-falls. This week there were times I was unable to come up with any feelings of gratitude. Breathe in the feeling of not feeling grateful and breathe out the wish: May all those who are ungrateful move forward into gratitude. Feel free to use your own words in this practice. |
| REPEAT ASPIRATION EVERY DAY FOR 7 DAYS WEEK 4 ASPIRATION: Today, I will thank the Universe for each blessing that comes into my day. SUPPORTS ~DAY 1~ You have a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?" ~William A. Ward ~DAY 2~ Every time we remember to say "thank you," we experience nothing less than heaven on earth. ~Sarah Ban Breathnach ~DAY 3~ If you want to turn your life around, try thankfulness. It will change your life mightily. ~Gerald Good ~DAY 4~ Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don't unravel. ~Author Unknown ~DAY 5~ QUOTE Gratitude takes three forms: a feeling in the heart, an expression in words, and a giving in return. ~John Wanamaker ~DAY 6~ Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. ~William Arthur Ward ~DAY 7~ REST AND REVIEW Now, without judgment review your week. This week I opened my eyes to all the blessings there are in my life. Now breathe in this feeling of thankfulness. Then breathe out the wish: May everyone be grateful for what life has to offer them. Now, look at your short-falls. This week there were times when I overlooked the blessings in my life and felt ungrateful. Breathe in the apathy you felt about your life and breathe out the wish: May all us who forget what the world has to offer us be spared from ingratitude. Feel free to use your own words in this practice. |
| ENDING PRAYER In the busy-ness of my day, I sometimes forget to stop to thank you for all that is good in my life. My blessings are many and my heart is filled with gratefulness for the gift of living, for the ability to love and be loved, for the opportunity to see the everyday wonders of creation, for sleep and water, for a mind that thinks and a body that feels. ~Unknown~ |
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