The Power of Gratitude

Lately I have been experimenting with gratitude. I have always thought of myself as generally grateful, appreciating, at least on an intellectual level, that I had options, choices, worries that were luxuries for 99% of the world population. In recent years, I have gradually gotten more specific about what I'm grateful for, listing either in my head or on paper, the people, things and conditions for which I was truly thankful.

Then recently I found myself in a tough transition in which I was questioning everything I thought I knew about the world, my sense of self, my communication skills, my politics even (or at least the force with which I reject other world views). In the midst of this swirling confusing sea of self-doubt, I needed a raft to grab hold of, even a tiny corner would do. Turns out that raft was gratitude.

I was advised this time to be even more specific than before, not I'm grateful for my health, my family, my friends and my house, but particularly things that happened that very day. I starting writing these down (I refuse to say "journaling"--it's an unnecessary verb in my opinion) and beautiful, extraordinary changes started to take place.

Today I am grateful for my daughter's face as she showed me the baby pig at the county fair. I am grateful for my son's playful air bites at me while he got his first haircut in a while. I am grateful to my community for screening The Incredibles in the Common House for all the kids this evening thereby allowing my husband and me to curl up on the couch together and watch Igby Goes Down ((:)(:) (:) if you must know). And I'm grateful for the opportunity to tell you all of this and have a reasonable certainty that someone is actually reading my blog.

How sweet and easy it all is as long as you look.