Tearful, Joyful Gratitude

I pause,

stopping the tense business, the gardening, chores, the typing  to think of what I am grateful for.

 As soon as the word gratitude rises up, tears spring to my eyes,  for I am aware of mercy and forgiveness

 in my spirituality with God,  my husband, kids and kid’s kids.

 I am acutely aware of the fragility of life after almost loosing a daughter in childbirth and now a younger brother-in-law soon to cancer

 The last two weeks I have

• attended a daughter’s university graduation
• celebrated 3 birthdays and Father’s day by making gifts and food for large gatherings
• helped install  wood flooring in ANOTHER daughter’s new house
• then helped her move and clean her old and new house.
•  went to a land/lord tenant mediation meeting for a crazy, mean, illegal landlord for my youngest…and won
• spent 6 hours house hunting in town for next term’s housing for this youngest daughter
•  helped with a colicky newborn for a fourth daughter..
•  plus dealt with learning that one of my husband’s younger brothers has months to live with cancer..

yet, I am aware of beauty surrounding me,

pressing in on all sides.

a plethora of flowers, trees and birds

 

   the joy of creating with words

the joy of crafting  with my crochet hook and yarn

In short, I am tearfully grateful.

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Learning to Take off My Dung Coloured Glasses

Happiness: the fleeting dream that eludes most of us.  I am often miserable, pressed for time, running around  in my insular little world, only catching glimpses of the world around me as I peer  through dung coloured glasses. Yet the solution to my dilemma is remarkably easy.

Stop.

Take off my dung coloured lenses.

Look and really see all the blessings around me.

Appreciate and allow gratitude to come to life within me once again.

A therapist would charge you hundreds of dollars to teach you how to do this, calling this method cognitive therapy.

I will give you this key to happiness for free.

I discovered this secret after years of mothering my tiny children. They taught me to take my eyes off my exhaustion and to take delight in the plethora of tiny details all around me. Little kids are born with a sense of wonder and the ability to enjoy little things. My daughter’s retain an appreciation for detail; they all remember the little things.

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Examples:

• A friend of mine, Martha, once asked one of my daughters, when she was about six, what she liked most about Christmas. She replied immediately,

           “The pineapple in the fruit bowl"

My daughter’s answer astounded Martha.

• Similarly, one evening before dinner Claire, now a young adult, said,

           “I always remember the fresh smell of clean sheets every week.”

           Such a small thing, yet a child, with a heart full of gratitude, takes great pleasure from it.

• A few months back,  Claire was recounting how pleased she was with a plant in her garden. Realizing that she was enjoying such a small thing she laughed,

           “Oh my god, I sound just like Mum.”

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• The things that raise my spirits are usually small and most people would not consider them significant. For example, one Christmas I was very tired and only one gift brought me genuine joy. It was hand crocheted dish clothes from my friend Cathy. ..dish clothes, beautifully made, colourful, something I used a hundred times a day.
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Perhaps this is one of the blessings of a large family; free cognitive therapy from a crew of little people who greeted each morning with wonder and awe.

What am I thankful for now, at this moment? I am grateful to be alive, breathing and healthy with a husband of 35 years, nine healthy, kids,. four kid-in-laws and 5 grandchildren who turned out so well that I am speechless and teary eyed with relief and gratitude.

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Gratitude: The Secret Key to Happiness

Once I start thinking of what I have to be grateful for, I could go on forever. Perhaps that is why I am basically joyful. Afterall that is what everyone from cognitive therapists to priests during sermons to self help gurus keep trying to get through our heads. When we are thankful and grateful, we are happier and more content. Period.

I even read a book, written by a monk, that claims that gratitude is the key to opening the door to the spiritual life. I have discovered that this is true. So come with me. Stop for a moment and think of just a few of the hundreds of things that you are grateful for and join us with a gratitude list of your own.I will help get your mind moving in the right direction..

My Gratitude List

• I am happy that I have all my limbs, that I breathe on my own, that I can see and hear and basically that my body is healthy
• I am of sound mind….. ummm . that depends on who you are talking to but from my perspective, I am in deed of sound mind.
• Somehow we managed to raise 9 great kids and I am proud of each one of them, even slightly flabbergasted that they turned out so well
• I am grateful to be the grandmother of 4 and three quarters grandchildren who are strikingly gorgeous!