I have found gratitude in unexpected places such as when I went to the store to get grocery and I was checking out, reached for my wallet in my bag and no wallet, panic, embarrassment and before I could explained my situation two people behind me offered to pay for the groceries. I am reserved person and did not want them to pay for it, but both parties were willing to pay and fighting who will pay as each wanted to pay in full. I was struggling with generosity, but my rejection went unnoticed and my grocery bags were handed over to me. I am grateful for the experience I have heard after my car accident that left me disabled but this experience has changed my life for the better. I am more compassionate, empathetic and it has allowed me to slow down and focus only for today as today is the only time I have to enjoy the present gifts, yesterdays make me depressed and the future caused me anxiety. I am grateful for the opportunity given by the Grateful Organization staff members for the questions that allow me to pause and reflect and for the founder, Br. David Steindl-Rast. I got half-a-dozen paintings from that shattered plate. Georgia O’keeffe
Like some of you have mentioned I have a huge amount of gratitude for having the courage to walk away from a 22 yr marriage to the Father of my children. I had had enough of lying, cheating and putting my children in danger from substance abuse and never committing to address his issues properly time after time. I literally prayed he would meet someone else and my prayer was answered! I had a huge support of friends and family. My Dad actually paid my divorce attorney! It wasn’t easy but there was NO turning back at that point. I was done! Needless to say my son especially was young enough to never learn to be disrespectful toward women and that is a blessing in itself 🙏
. . . in a surprise apology from someone who hurt me,
but I had never acknowledged the hurt,
so it was a surprise that she was aware of it.
. . . from tiny blue flowers
blooming in a place
where I had planted no flowers.
. . . to discover after a few months
that an expensive medication I’d been prescribed
did not really work better after all,
and I could stop taking it.
. . . in finding a chocolate Easter egg
at the bottom of a box my mother had sent me
as I was breaking it down to recycle.
. . . that the denial of something I really wanted
turned out to be a blessing in disguise,
as it opened the door to a marvelous possibility.
. . . that due to a broken washing machine
I had to force myself to go to the local laundromat
and made a new friend.
I find
that Gratitude
sometimes hides behind the door,
and then pops out to surprise me
when I least expect it,
and when I most need it. ♥
Usually the yellow irises are the first flowers here at home. They are up about 3″. We have our first flowers, 6 small blue ones, atop a stalk that looks similar to lily’s. The whole plant is about 2″. Also saw two smallish butterflies. Orange and black .
“. . . . . . . and then pops out to surprise me . . . . . . “
Many years ago I found a lump on my breast. It was Friday afternoon of a 3-day weekend and I wouldn’t be able to get any kind of diagnostic work until the following week.
I sat in my backyard looking at everything in the world around me with such crystalline clarity. I still remember the feeling. It was as if I’d been given new eyes with which to see. Every leaf was sharp, distinct, individual, beautiful. My daughters were young and I was determined to do whatever I had to do to be there for them.
Fast forward to the diagnosis of a benign cyst, not cancer. Hooray for that! I remember thinking at the time that I wanted to hang onto that sharp awareness of how beautiful everything is. I was grateful for the way that Life felt so real and present in a moment of fear.
As a secondary part of the story, my husband at the time didn’t show himself in his best colors. Later when we divorced, that insight into his character was part of how I knew I was making the right decision. (Honestly, asking if I thought I might get reconstructive surgery to enlarge my breasts if I had cancer and needed surgery should have been a deal-breaker in that very moment, but I knew I would need him to watch the girls if I were going through treatment.)
Your first husband’s response to your cancer,
dear Barb,
was indeed a red flag . . .
happy you stored this bit of wisdom away
for later,
when you could do something about it. ♥
Definitely not his finest moment. He’d been supportive up until then and I was pretty boggled. I don’t even remember what I said. I hope it was something like “No, and why on earth would you think that was okay to ask?” but I had enough in my head that I may not have had the snappy comeback ready.
I’m still reflecting on Georgia O’Keefe’s statement about the pieces of art she created in broken pieces of plates. I’ve had spiritual awakenings and spiritual experiences that simply oozed with gratitude, after times of stepping back to review them. I can’t rank them or single any one of them out. Blessings to all this Weekend, however you celebrate it! With voicing our First Amendment rights in US or the rites of Palm Sunday or rituals of Spring like raking the yard. 🗣️✝️🌷🫶🏽☮️
In my life, there have been things that I didn’t get, or didn’t go the way I wanted, and then later, for different reasons, I was so glad things had not gone as I had originally wanted. It’s taught me not to get too disappointed when things go south.
Reminds me of this lyric,
Well, I ain’t always right, but I’ve never been wrong
Seldom turns out the way it does in a song
Once in a while, you get shown the light
In the strangest of places if you look at it right
Charlie, It’s easy to run up what if scenarios to dwell in the past. I only do them for grattitude and life lessons. There are infinite ways a cookie crumbles.
To me, any place where kindness exists. Because the place doesn’t earn gratitude itself, but the people who offer kindness. It could be somebody who asks if I need help when they see me looking around, or someone who sees me near the crosswalk with my white cane and asks if I need help crossing the street. It’s not always possible to see someone passing by and offer help. That makes it a blessing. Happy Saturday, everyone! 🌹
My Ngoc, kindness has no agendas. It’s why it’s called “Random acts of kindness.” Kindness and grattitude go together. It’s like the flow of giving and receiving.
Like Antoinette, I never expected to feel and find so much gratitude in serving others. Our volunteer work with Meals on Wheels is the gift that just keeps on giving. Everything we do each week is scheduled around Wednesday mornings when we deliver MOW. We only miss when traveling. And it is something of a meditative service. I had never thought of it that way, but it is. So thanks, Antoinette, for your inspiration. I’ve been totally surprised and and overjoyed in gratitude.
Traveling home through Canada from Nova Scotia, my husband and I decided it was time for a coffee break. We stopped in the next town, got out of the car, and began walking in search of a coffee spot. This was before the days of Google searches that took one right to the doorstep. As we were stretching and walking, we came upon a sweet, small gallery showing and selling pottery. We had to stop and look around. It turned out to be an artists’ co-op for local artists. As we were leaving, we asked the woman working that day if there was a coffee shop in the area. She told us she had just made a fresh pot and would be happy to give us each a cup. She came back with 2 handmade mugs that the artists had made as a fundraiser for a community event and these were left over, and now filled with wonderful coffee. We offered to pay her for the mugs, and she would have none of that, her gift to us.
We still have those mugs and they serve as a reminder of the generosity of people and a reminder to be generous. My gratitude that day, stemmed from the goodness of people, the kindness of people. Let is all be that. ♥️
What a wonderful story of kindness and generosity,
dear Mary . . .
I am grateful with you
for such a lovely experience.
A reminder that
there are still kind people in the world. ♥
I was in a relationship for 11 years…I could not imagine life without this person. One day ..he just decided “not to come “home” again”…he told me in a phone call. We shared a home, a life, we were both graduate students -in our 40’s… I was devastated. I thought everything I knew was then a lie…But it wasn’t ….I went on to be very happy. I finished my terminal degree (he did not)…and met a wonderful man. I am friends with the man who left me…and so very grateful that he walked away as I fell in love with someone who will always love me and not leave me on a whim…We will continue to grow older together…Gratitude was found in a broken relationship and now I am grateful each day for my husband.
My cat Tiggs has been a handful this morning. He’s calmed down now and is on my lap so he can earn back some respect, after slobbering on my journal trying to pry loose the little metal book dart that marked my place. 🙂
In a relationship with someone who has changed for the worse. It led me here, it helped me realize how in my determination not to argue I lost myself by being compliant.. I have learned to trust myself even through the doubt this person’s actions and words have created within. I haven’t left the relationship yet for a few reasons, but I found grateful living both in my heart and my mindset and this awareness has made me a better person.
This sounds like tough stuff, Deann. How disappointing for you. You do sound like you have gained wisdom, and a better understanding of yourself. Sending love as you navigate through this in your own time. ♥️♥️♥️
Deann, Wishing you all of God’s goodness and Blessings. I too am in a relationship where the person changed…mostly the belief systems that we shared. But I am free and encouraged to practice my belief without him- but with his encouragement to continue. We share our love and our life …I am saddened that he has changed; howeverI will continue to pray that he returns to believe. I wish you much happiness and strength…be who you are made to be!
It was after the fact, but the trauma from my first marriage offered me gratitude when I realized my own strength and learned to love myself after that overdue breakup. I’m grateful that I found myself. And almost 10 years later, life is so deliciously good 🙏🏼
Sunnypatti, having talked about the big island girl before, she’s the same one who dumped me 3 times, including the 2nd time on Valentine’s Day. She’s, what I describe as, a “Wolf in sheep clothing.” Those types of people have taught me how not to be and how to see through others. Fast-forward to today, Ngoc and I have been in a happy marriage for almost 6 years now.
I’ve found unexpected grattitude in my root people. My uncle, Lan, who’s on my dad’s side of the family, has type 2 diabetes like me. We’ve developed a strong bond through that. He checks up on me periodically and encourages me even if my readings are better like the most recent one just a couple days ago being 136. He loves poetry too, and has collaborated with me before on quite a few.
This question came at the perfect timing. Common ground goes beyond our buddy systems. “Yes, I’m talking to you there, Shaq.”
I grew up with individualism. My strengths lie there, but I can certainly find my way in collectivism too.
I absolutely love Giorgio O’Keeffe. What a wonderful quote of the day thank you so much.. ☺️
I find unexpected gratitude in doing action Meditation. We call action Meditation doing for other others living for the whole not thinking of it as volunteer work that I am doing something but actually letting go of this false self that doesn’t even exist while I help others and live as the hole for the hole not for myself..
I have found so much gratefulness in living for others because of this Meditation method so thank you so much for the surprise of actually being able to see that action. Meditation is living for the whole. Thank you so much for this insight. I love ❤️ universe.! 🌱💯🙌💓
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I have found gratitude in unexpected places such as when I went to the store to get grocery and I was checking out, reached for my wallet in my bag and no wallet, panic, embarrassment and before I could explained my situation two people behind me offered to pay for the groceries. I am reserved person and did not want them to pay for it, but both parties were willing to pay and fighting who will pay as each wanted to pay in full. I was struggling with generosity, but my rejection went unnoticed and my grocery bags were handed over to me. I am grateful for the experience I have heard after my car accident that left me disabled but this experience has changed my life for the better. I am more compassionate, empathetic and it has allowed me to slow down and focus only for today as today is the only time I have to enjoy the present gifts, yesterdays make me depressed and the future caused me anxiety. I am grateful for the opportunity given by the Grateful Organization staff members for the questions that allow me to pause and reflect and for the founder, Br. David Steindl-Rast. I got half-a-dozen paintings from that shattered plate. Georgia O’keeffe
Like some of you have mentioned I have a huge amount of gratitude for having the courage to walk away from a 22 yr marriage to the Father of my children. I had had enough of lying, cheating and putting my children in danger from substance abuse and never committing to address his issues properly time after time. I literally prayed he would meet someone else and my prayer was answered! I had a huge support of friends and family. My Dad actually paid my divorce attorney! It wasn’t easy but there was NO turning back at that point. I was done! Needless to say my son especially was young enough to never learn to be disrespectful toward women and that is a blessing in itself 🙏
My little grab bag of hidden treasures . . .
. . . in a surprise apology from someone who hurt me,
but I had never acknowledged the hurt,
so it was a surprise that she was aware of it.
. . . from tiny blue flowers
blooming in a place
where I had planted no flowers.
. . . to discover after a few months
that an expensive medication I’d been prescribed
did not really work better after all,
and I could stop taking it.
. . . in finding a chocolate Easter egg
at the bottom of a box my mother had sent me
as I was breaking it down to recycle.
. . . that the denial of something I really wanted
turned out to be a blessing in disguise,
as it opened the door to a marvelous possibility.
. . . that due to a broken washing machine
I had to force myself to go to the local laundromat
and made a new friend.
I find
that Gratitude
sometimes hides behind the door,
and then pops out to surprise me
when I least expect it,
and when I most need it. ♥
Usually the yellow irises are the first flowers here at home. They are up about 3″. We have our first flowers, 6 small blue ones, atop a stalk that looks similar to lily’s. The whole plant is about 2″. Also saw two smallish butterflies. Orange and black .
“. . . . . . . and then pops out to surprise me . . . . . . “
Amazing,
isn’t it,
dear Joseph?
And to think . . . 🙂
Many years ago I found a lump on my breast. It was Friday afternoon of a 3-day weekend and I wouldn’t be able to get any kind of diagnostic work until the following week.
I sat in my backyard looking at everything in the world around me with such crystalline clarity. I still remember the feeling. It was as if I’d been given new eyes with which to see. Every leaf was sharp, distinct, individual, beautiful. My daughters were young and I was determined to do whatever I had to do to be there for them.
Fast forward to the diagnosis of a benign cyst, not cancer. Hooray for that! I remember thinking at the time that I wanted to hang onto that sharp awareness of how beautiful everything is. I was grateful for the way that Life felt so real and present in a moment of fear.
As a secondary part of the story, my husband at the time didn’t show himself in his best colors. Later when we divorced, that insight into his character was part of how I knew I was making the right decision. (Honestly, asking if I thought I might get reconstructive surgery to enlarge my breasts if I had cancer and needed surgery should have been a deal-breaker in that very moment, but I knew I would need him to watch the girls if I were going through treatment.)
Definitely is a scary feeling, I had to go back and get re-tested once because the mammogram showed something but then the 2nd scan ended up fine.
Your first husband’s response to your cancer,
dear Barb,
was indeed a red flag . . .
happy you stored this bit of wisdom away
for later,
when you could do something about it. ♥
ps. What a hurtful thing to say.
Definitely not his finest moment. He’d been supportive up until then and I was pretty boggled. I don’t even remember what I said. I hope it was something like “No, and why on earth would you think that was okay to ask?” but I had enough in my head that I may not have had the snappy comeback ready.
DEFINITELY
not his finest moment! ♥
I’m still reflecting on Georgia O’Keefe’s statement about the pieces of art she created in broken pieces of plates. I’ve had spiritual awakenings and spiritual experiences that simply oozed with gratitude, after times of stepping back to review them. I can’t rank them or single any one of them out. Blessings to all this Weekend, however you celebrate it! With voicing our First Amendment rights in US or the rites of Palm Sunday or rituals of Spring like raking the yard. 🗣️✝️🌷🫶🏽☮️
In my life, there have been things that I didn’t get, or didn’t go the way I wanted, and then later, for different reasons, I was so glad things had not gone as I had originally wanted. It’s taught me not to get too disappointed when things go south.
Reminds me of this lyric,
Well, I ain’t always right, but I’ve never been wrong
Seldom turns out the way it does in a song
Once in a while, you get shown the light
In the strangest of places if you look at it right
Scarlet Begonias
Grateful Dead 😁
Their music is so poignant Charlie.
Perfect song,
dear Charlie . . . ♥
Charlie, It’s easy to run up what if scenarios to dwell in the past. I only do them for grattitude and life lessons. There are infinite ways a cookie crumbles.
To me, any place where kindness exists. Because the place doesn’t earn gratitude itself, but the people who offer kindness. It could be somebody who asks if I need help when they see me looking around, or someone who sees me near the crosswalk with my white cane and asks if I need help crossing the street. It’s not always possible to see someone passing by and offer help. That makes it a blessing. Happy Saturday, everyone! 🌹
My Ngoc, kindness has no agendas. It’s why it’s called “Random acts of kindness.” Kindness and grattitude go together. It’s like the flow of giving and receiving.
Like Antoinette, I never expected to feel and find so much gratitude in serving others. Our volunteer work with Meals on Wheels is the gift that just keeps on giving. Everything we do each week is scheduled around Wednesday mornings when we deliver MOW. We only miss when traveling. And it is something of a meditative service. I had never thought of it that way, but it is. So thanks, Antoinette, for your inspiration. I’ve been totally surprised and and overjoyed in gratitude.
That’s right, Katrina. The best works come with no ulterior motives.
Traveling home through Canada from Nova Scotia, my husband and I decided it was time for a coffee break. We stopped in the next town, got out of the car, and began walking in search of a coffee spot. This was before the days of Google searches that took one right to the doorstep. As we were stretching and walking, we came upon a sweet, small gallery showing and selling pottery. We had to stop and look around. It turned out to be an artists’ co-op for local artists. As we were leaving, we asked the woman working that day if there was a coffee shop in the area. She told us she had just made a fresh pot and would be happy to give us each a cup. She came back with 2 handmade mugs that the artists had made as a fundraiser for a community event and these were left over, and now filled with wonderful coffee. We offered to pay her for the mugs, and she would have none of that, her gift to us.
We still have those mugs and they serve as a reminder of the generosity of people and a reminder to be generous. My gratitude that day, stemmed from the goodness of people, the kindness of people. Let is all be that. ♥️
What a wonderful story of kindness and generosity,
dear Mary . . .
I am grateful with you
for such a lovely experience.
A reminder that
there are still kind people in the world. ♥
I was in a relationship for 11 years…I could not imagine life without this person. One day ..he just decided “not to come “home” again”…he told me in a phone call. We shared a home, a life, we were both graduate students -in our 40’s… I was devastated. I thought everything I knew was then a lie…But it wasn’t ….I went on to be very happy. I finished my terminal degree (he did not)…and met a wonderful man. I am friends with the man who left me…and so very grateful that he walked away as I fell in love with someone who will always love me and not leave me on a whim…We will continue to grow older together…Gratitude was found in a broken relationship and now I am grateful each day for my husband.
What a beautiful story of
Gratitude Found,
dear Nanette . . . ♥
Unexpected like the trash – gratitude for recycling (realizing trash is not a place, LOL)
cemetery – grateful for life and the beauty of cemeteries
Enjoy the weekend everyone 🙂
https://nationaltoday.com/respect-your-cat-day/
I respect my cats every day . . .
is there any other way
to live with them? 🙂
My cat Tiggs has been a handful this morning. He’s calmed down now and is on my lap so he can earn back some respect, after slobbering on my journal trying to pry loose the little metal book dart that marked my place. 🙂
In a relationship with someone who has changed for the worse. It led me here, it helped me realize how in my determination not to argue I lost myself by being compliant.. I have learned to trust myself even through the doubt this person’s actions and words have created within. I haven’t left the relationship yet for a few reasons, but I found grateful living both in my heart and my mindset and this awareness has made me a better person.
Right now just trusting God’s timing.
This sounds like tough stuff, Deann. How disappointing for you. You do sound like you have gained wisdom, and a better understanding of yourself. Sending love as you navigate through this in your own time. ♥️♥️♥️
You will know when the timing is right. 🙏
Yes, there will be a point where things will shift. Sending strength to you, Deann.
You will know when the time is right,
dear Deann . . .
in the meantime,
practice Gratitude
and grow strong,
for you have work ahead of you. ♥
Deann, Wishing you all of God’s goodness and Blessings. I too am in a relationship where the person changed…mostly the belief systems that we shared. But I am free and encouraged to practice my belief without him- but with his encouragement to continue. We share our love and our life …I am saddened that he has changed; howeverI will continue to pray that he returns to believe. I wish you much happiness and strength…be who you are made to be!
Deann, people change in interesting ways for better and worse. God’s the most stable of all. It’s why he’s the ultimate source of protection.
It was after the fact, but the trauma from my first marriage offered me gratitude when I realized my own strength and learned to love myself after that overdue breakup. I’m grateful that I found myself. And almost 10 years later, life is so deliciously good 🙏🏼
Sunnypatti, having talked about the big island girl before, she’s the same one who dumped me 3 times, including the 2nd time on Valentine’s Day. She’s, what I describe as, a “Wolf in sheep clothing.” Those types of people have taught me how not to be and how to see through others. Fast-forward to today, Ngoc and I have been in a happy marriage for almost 6 years now.
I’ve found unexpected grattitude in my root people. My uncle, Lan, who’s on my dad’s side of the family, has type 2 diabetes like me. We’ve developed a strong bond through that. He checks up on me periodically and encourages me even if my readings are better like the most recent one just a couple days ago being 136. He loves poetry too, and has collaborated with me before on quite a few.
This question came at the perfect timing. Common ground goes beyond our buddy systems. “Yes, I’m talking to you there, Shaq.”
I grew up with individualism. My strengths lie there, but I can certainly find my way in collectivism too.
I absolutely love Giorgio O’Keeffe. What a wonderful quote of the day thank you so much.. ☺️
I find unexpected gratitude in doing action Meditation. We call action Meditation doing for other others living for the whole not thinking of it as volunteer work that I am doing something but actually letting go of this false self that doesn’t even exist while I help others and live as the hole for the hole not for myself..
I have found so much gratefulness in living for others because of this Meditation method so thank you so much for the surprise of actually being able to see that action. Meditation is living for the whole. Thank you so much for this insight. I love ❤️ universe.! 🌱💯🙌💓