I think about the recent incident with “Snap benefits” being delayed and people coming together to overcome the situation *(Donations etc). That warms my heart and I am grateful to see some good happen..
Bringing gratitude into my heart
fills me with light,
which then flows out into my environment
where those who are sensitive enough to feel it
are touched by it as well.
Living in gratitude
opens my eyes to what is good and beautiful and wise . . .
it gives me hope and a sneaking suspicion
that no matter what happens
everything is going to be all right.
When I am grateful and mindful of it,
the dark hued colours in my world become like jewels . . .
magenta,
indigo,
emerald and gold,
deep and rich,
with a light that is all their own;
the lighter tones take on the shimmer of angels’ wings
and fragile tissue paper,
so delicate to the touch they are.
Even the browns and greys of cold, rainy days
bear the luster of velvet . . .
chestnuts bursting from their shells,
burnt umber of the foxes’ coats
and the gleaming backs of the ravens in the back yard.
Each one as lovely as the next.
This is how my deepest gratitude changes me.
Think of how everything would look
if you knew this was your last day on this earth . . .
it would look so precious to you
that your heart would ache
and you would weep
at the sheer joy of being alive.
I think this is thankfulness at its best. ♥
Gratefulness always does. Turning eyes and heart to what is giving joy, peace, or offering beauty then. Gratefulness is the color to the inside experience of what is always available, to see what is the beauty, the good in heart and soul of someone, awakening the tenderness in a rough one, the incredible endurance of a tree, of the season right now coming to rest for the moment being, for whatever my eye gets caught to, Gratefulness will alter the profane into the wonder which is all around, a perspective to be chosen which sees the good in the world, honoring the light in the other, in God, in Buddha, in the Universe. Such an amazing blessing. Good night, friends, and may you wake up to a day full of beauty.
Gratefulness helps me relate to the world in the way of receiving and blessing, rather than reacting and judging. I’m reminded of Joseph’s saying, I think it is: “Life isn’t happening to me, it is happening as me.”
In my experience, my energy (attitude) seems to attract and facilitate similar energy. This works both ways. Negativity increases my chances of experiencing negativity and the same for positivity. After all, we are electrically charged.
So, starting my day with a gratitude practice, helps increase the positive charge in me. It’s not always enough though. But it helps.
We definitely receive back what we put out, Charlie. I happened to watch a TedX talk this morning on the effects of how and what we communicate on both ourselves and on others. Vanessa Van Edwards with some interesting research: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cef35Fk7YD8
Thank you for that link Barbara. It was an interesting talk along with the research on the contagious nature of emotions, sounds of language and facial expressions.
How does gratitude help me see the good? I think it pulls my attention towards what I have rather than do not have. It isnt “when life gives me lemons… ” . Although it could be. But some life events aren’t just lemons. They are rotten worm infested lemons. Gratitude at the very least takes my focus off the pile of rotten lemons. It is the wisdom behind accepting what I can’t change and changing what I can. Some situations are so hard to feel grateful for. I’m thinking of my son who endures self inflicted pain and is gone from my life and it’s difficult to twist my brain to feel grateful for something that brings me such grief. To do this, I have to believe in an intelligent power at work, I have to allow my pain a voice and I have to see the opportunity for growth and allow it to teach me. I can feel tiny seeds of gratitude around this at times and I believe if I find gratitude elsewhere in life and hold a comforting welcome to my grief that it will water those seeds and someday I will feel gratitude grow – Maybe even for this. As Deann said ” I am grateful for the glass”
My “mother’s heart”
breaks for your, dear Heather.
I too,
have a son who was gone from me . . .
he has miraculously returned,
and I am grateful for that.
I live in hope
that this might happen for you too.
May you too
live in hope
with love . . . ♥
Holding you in peace, Heatherhoney. I resonate with what you wrote about the rotten worm-infested lemons. In my situation, I think of the rot as compost, it will bring something back to the earth, where it provides nourishment for something new. Meanwhile, the thing needs to rest and decompose. And I need to continue to tend to my own abundant grief.
One of the first essays I read on this site taught me to be grateful for the glass ( not the half empty/half full). That thought alone helps me to feel grateful even during the hard. As Mister Roger’s said “ Look for the hero’s”. Hard times usually bring them out but you have to have a grateful heart to see them cause they leave their capes at home and roll up their sleeves instead ( sorta speak).
Gratitude provides me with a perspective that looks for the good. Also, today’s quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer is an eye opener! It puts my focus on my blessings.
“In normal life we hardly realize how much more we receive than we give, and life cannot be rich without such gratitude.”
The whole practice of stop, look, and go is about seeing what is working. One of the first things I learned about living gratefully is, “shift happens.” When you allow gratefulness to pervade, you tap into resilience and flexibility. You can focus on the blessings. I always remeber its not Pollyannaish, you acknowledge pain. I acknowledge I have been consumed by my parents care lately AND (not but) I am grateful we have access to resources, I have a generous husband, my parents are financially solvent, and I just hired a full-time care assistant who will start next Monday. Please, hold my parents in prayer, my father has to have aortic valve surgery at 84 with dementia. He will go in next Tuesday. I know all will be as it should be.
You have many challenges,
dear Avril,
but you taking them one day,
one challenge
at a time.
I hold you and your family
especially in my heart
with love . . . ♥
Avril, When one is in their 80s, having a compassionate and caring child is a great gift. Sending you loving energy as you minister to your loved ones.
Gratitude boosts my energy to a higher place, which effects the energy around me, and I can’t help but see good in the world. As they say, “Where our focus goes, energy flows” – like attracts like. I choose to see the good, and being grateful naturally helps me to do so.
Being grateful allows me to see without judgement. Helps me to realize the imbedded intelligence of all life. The spark. The goodness. The light. The sameness among the difference. I was told as a child “Be nice. All are the universes (God I believe was the word used) little creatures. Peace & Love.
There is good in the world, in people, places, things – gratitude is everywhere I look.
Wishing everyone some calmness in this week before Thanksgiving. ☮💗
Many times, gratitude may not help me see the good in my life right away, but because of my attitude, I long for good things and won’t lose hope. Wishing everyone a wonderful Monday filled with peace and love.
My Ngoc, I can imagine how frustrating to have the cards continue to get stacked against us. At the same time, my executive skills helps me play with the cards I’m dealt in the moment, the long game, and see the light at the end of the tunnel. Fortunately, I’m far out of the tunnel now.
First of all, the glass is half full half empty. I’m likelier to see the empty part first out of protection. Earning my trust takes time and a process. It’s why I keep my circle small. Once I have an intuitive feel that the coast is clear, it’s easier for me to trust others and see the positives.
That’s interesting, Barb. I never thought of it that way. The way I was taught is that half full meant focusing on the positives while half empty meant focusing more on the negatives.
Christina, I feel that way too even through differing methods of care. My root people believe in more suggestions and advice. I believe in listening, empathizing, allowing each individual to discover their own destiny, and cadering to their needs and desires.
Loc- I used to advise and suggest (like your root people) to my adult sons out of fear based love. Hard to grow from those roots. My intention was good and the result never was. It was a selfish way to respond because I wanted the discomfort to end (their’s and mine) I now do as you do. Listen, empathize and allow. This is love based on belief. Much easier roots to grow from. ❤️
Heather, as far as 10 people sitting at a table eating rice and soup goes, it symbolizes life back in the old days where there’s less diversity. It’s easier to establish standards on how life should be in a family of families environment. Any older adult of our parent’s generation who talks to us can be our parents. We end up having many moms and dads. Anyone who’s older than us can tell us what to do and how to live our lives. It’s how we were programmed to advise and suggest. The heart was everything. We didn’t need technique.
Heather, it’s easy to fall into the traps of the former. It’s how we were taught. It takes trial and error to evolve into the ladder. Society has shifted and mental illness is only on the rise. Also, we’re only living in more and more of a melting pod inside and out. Back in the day, advice and suggestions were easier. As I’ve said before on past comments and answers, 10 people sat at a table eating rice and soup.
Give yourself the gift of free bi-monthly inspiration including uplifting articles, diverse stories, supportive practices, videos, and more, delivered with heart to your inbox.
I think about the recent incident with “Snap benefits” being delayed and people coming together to overcome the situation *(Donations etc). That warms my heart and I am grateful to see some good happen..
Bringing gratitude into my heart
fills me with light,
which then flows out into my environment
where those who are sensitive enough to feel it
are touched by it as well.
Living in gratitude
opens my eyes to what is good and beautiful and wise . . .
it gives me hope and a sneaking suspicion
that no matter what happens
everything is going to be all right.
When I am grateful and mindful of it,
the dark hued colours in my world become like jewels . . .
magenta,
indigo,
emerald and gold,
deep and rich,
with a light that is all their own;
the lighter tones take on the shimmer of angels’ wings
and fragile tissue paper,
so delicate to the touch they are.
Even the browns and greys of cold, rainy days
bear the luster of velvet . . .
chestnuts bursting from their shells,
burnt umber of the foxes’ coats
and the gleaming backs of the ravens in the back yard.
Each one as lovely as the next.
This is how my deepest gratitude changes me.
Think of how everything would look
if you knew this was your last day on this earth . . .
it would look so precious to you
that your heart would ache
and you would weep
at the sheer joy of being alive.
I think this is thankfulness at its best. ♥
Sheer poetry, Sparrow, as your posts so often are.
I think that being grateful
makes me feel poetic,
dear Barb. 🙂
Beautiful reflection, Sparrow. I can feel it too.
I am happy that you can,
dear Drea . . .
to me
that means you can feel grateful. 🙂
beautiful reflection, so vivid your description of all the colors – love it!
That’s what it feels like to me,
dear Michele,
to be grateful. ♥
So beautifully put, Sparrow. I feel it 💜
🙂
Such a nice reflection. Thank you dear Sparrow.
I feel this in every fiber of my being, dear Joseph . . .
do you ? ♥
❤️
Gratefulness always does. Turning eyes and heart to what is giving joy, peace, or offering beauty then. Gratefulness is the color to the inside experience of what is always available, to see what is the beauty, the good in heart and soul of someone, awakening the tenderness in a rough one, the incredible endurance of a tree, of the season right now coming to rest for the moment being, for whatever my eye gets caught to, Gratefulness will alter the profane into the wonder which is all around, a perspective to be chosen which sees the good in the world, honoring the light in the other, in God, in Buddha, in the Universe. Such an amazing blessing. Good night, friends, and may you wake up to a day full of beauty.
A good and restful night to you too, dear Ose.
Thank you,
dear Ose,
for this beautiful reflection,
expressing so well
what I feel in my heart . . . ♥
Gratefulness helps me relate to the world in the way of receiving and blessing, rather than reacting and judging. I’m reminded of Joseph’s saying, I think it is: “Life isn’t happening to me, it is happening as me.”
Drea, I heard that saying in a talk of Eckhart Tolle’s. I copied it down in my journal of sayings that move my essence.
Ah nice. It’s a good one.
In my experience, my energy (attitude) seems to attract and facilitate similar energy. This works both ways. Negativity increases my chances of experiencing negativity and the same for positivity. After all, we are electrically charged.
So, starting my day with a gratitude practice, helps increase the positive charge in me. It’s not always enough though. But it helps.
I so agree,
dear Charlie . . . ♥
We definitely receive back what we put out, Charlie. I happened to watch a TedX talk this morning on the effects of how and what we communicate on both ourselves and on others. Vanessa Van Edwards with some interesting research: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cef35Fk7YD8
Thank you for that link Barbara. It was an interesting talk along with the research on the contagious nature of emotions, sounds of language and facial expressions.
How does gratitude help me see the good? I think it pulls my attention towards what I have rather than do not have. It isnt “when life gives me lemons… ” . Although it could be. But some life events aren’t just lemons. They are rotten worm infested lemons. Gratitude at the very least takes my focus off the pile of rotten lemons. It is the wisdom behind accepting what I can’t change and changing what I can. Some situations are so hard to feel grateful for. I’m thinking of my son who endures self inflicted pain and is gone from my life and it’s difficult to twist my brain to feel grateful for something that brings me such grief. To do this, I have to believe in an intelligent power at work, I have to allow my pain a voice and I have to see the opportunity for growth and allow it to teach me. I can feel tiny seeds of gratitude around this at times and I believe if I find gratitude elsewhere in life and hold a comforting welcome to my grief that it will water those seeds and someday I will feel gratitude grow – Maybe even for this. As Deann said ” I am grateful for the glass”
My “mother’s heart”
breaks for your, dear Heather.
I too,
have a son who was gone from me . . .
he has miraculously returned,
and I am grateful for that.
I live in hope
that this might happen for you too.
May you too
live in hope
with love . . . ♥
Holding you in peace, Heatherhoney. I resonate with what you wrote about the rotten worm-infested lemons. In my situation, I think of the rot as compost, it will bring something back to the earth, where it provides nourishment for something new. Meanwhile, the thing needs to rest and decompose. And I need to continue to tend to my own abundant grief.
Well said,
dear Drea . . .
I really relate to your analogy. ♥
One of the first essays I read on this site taught me to be grateful for the glass ( not the half empty/half full). That thought alone helps me to feel grateful even during the hard. As Mister Roger’s said “ Look for the hero’s”. Hard times usually bring them out but you have to have a grateful heart to see them cause they leave their capes at home and roll up their sleeves instead ( sorta speak).
Oh that’s good–be grateful for the glass! Thank you for sharing that Deann.
I love this – ” being grateful for the glass” THIS should be my reflection ❤️
“Reach out your hand if your cup be empty
If you cup is full, may it be again”
Ripple . . . . Hunter/Garcia
Gratitude provides me with a perspective that looks for the good. Also, today’s quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer is an eye opener! It puts my focus on my blessings.
“In normal life we hardly realize how much more we receive than we give, and life cannot be rich without such gratitude.”
The whole practice of stop, look, and go is about seeing what is working. One of the first things I learned about living gratefully is, “shift happens.” When you allow gratefulness to pervade, you tap into resilience and flexibility. You can focus on the blessings. I always remeber its not Pollyannaish, you acknowledge pain. I acknowledge I have been consumed by my parents care lately AND (not but) I am grateful we have access to resources, I have a generous husband, my parents are financially solvent, and I just hired a full-time care assistant who will start next Monday. Please, hold my parents in prayer, my father has to have aortic valve surgery at 84 with dementia. He will go in next Tuesday. I know all will be as it should be.
Sending prayers, Avril. May all be well 🙏🏼
Wishing your father a successful aortic valve surgery and a speedy recovery.
May his surgery be successful.
Sending prayers and positive healing thoughts for your Dad Avril and that is great news to have help coming soon!
You have many challenges,
dear Avril,
but you taking them one day,
one challenge
at a time.
I hold you and your family
especially in my heart
with love . . . ♥
Sending skill to the medical team. Strength and serenity for you and your family.
Holding your parents in prayer, Avril.
Avril, When one is in their 80s, having a compassionate and caring child is a great gift. Sending you loving energy as you minister to your loved ones.
Gratitude boosts my energy to a higher place, which effects the energy around me, and I can’t help but see good in the world. As they say, “Where our focus goes, energy flows” – like attracts like. I choose to see the good, and being grateful naturally helps me to do so.
Patti, Thank you…I needed your message this morning.
💜
Being grateful allows me to see without judgement. Helps me to realize the imbedded intelligence of all life. The spark. The goodness. The light. The sameness among the difference. I was told as a child “Be nice. All are the universes (God I believe was the word used) little creatures. Peace & Love.
Your parents taught you well,
dear Joseph.
Here’s another take . . . ♥
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
(attributed to several different people)
I love this.
There is good in the world, in people, places, things – gratitude is everywhere I look.
Wishing everyone some calmness in this week before Thanksgiving. ☮💗
May you have calm also, dear Michele.
Thank you Joseph 🙂
Many times, gratitude may not help me see the good in my life right away, but because of my attitude, I long for good things and won’t lose hope. Wishing everyone a wonderful Monday filled with peace and love.
My Ngoc, I can imagine how frustrating to have the cards continue to get stacked against us. At the same time, my executive skills helps me play with the cards I’m dealt in the moment, the long game, and see the light at the end of the tunnel. Fortunately, I’m far out of the tunnel now.
First of all, the glass is half full half empty. I’m likelier to see the empty part first out of protection. Earning my trust takes time and a process. It’s why I keep my circle small. Once I have an intuitive feel that the coast is clear, it’s easier for me to trust others and see the positives.
When the glass is half full that means there’s room for more.
That’s interesting, Barb. I never thought of it that way. The way I was taught is that half full meant focusing on the positives while half empty meant focusing more on the negatives.
🙂
Often I find myself grateful for the good people in my life.
Christina, I feel that way too even through differing methods of care. My root people believe in more suggestions and advice. I believe in listening, empathizing, allowing each individual to discover their own destiny, and cadering to their needs and desires.
Loc- I used to advise and suggest (like your root people) to my adult sons out of fear based love. Hard to grow from those roots. My intention was good and the result never was. It was a selfish way to respond because I wanted the discomfort to end (their’s and mine) I now do as you do. Listen, empathize and allow. This is love based on belief. Much easier roots to grow from. ❤️
Heather, as far as 10 people sitting at a table eating rice and soup goes, it symbolizes life back in the old days where there’s less diversity. It’s easier to establish standards on how life should be in a family of families environment. Any older adult of our parent’s generation who talks to us can be our parents. We end up having many moms and dads. Anyone who’s older than us can tell us what to do and how to live our lives. It’s how we were programmed to advise and suggest. The heart was everything. We didn’t need technique.
Heather, it’s easy to fall into the traps of the former. It’s how we were taught. It takes trial and error to evolve into the ladder. Society has shifted and mental illness is only on the rise. Also, we’re only living in more and more of a melting pod inside and out. Back in the day, advice and suggestions were easier. As I’ve said before on past comments and answers, 10 people sat at a table eating rice and soup.
Is there more to the story of the 10 people?