Gratefulness for me is appreciation for all I have.
Waking up & giving thanks for the day ahead & at bedtime, giving thanks for the day’s gifts, keeps me in the loop of thankfulness.
I try to appreciate it all.
I am truly blessed.🙏🏻❤️
Another good and challenging question for reflection. For me, now, briefly, Gratefulness is a chosen way of human living that, with practice, strengthens self-awareness, awakens one (further) to (connection and appreciation of) our surrounding world, cultivates individual and collective acceptance, reflection, and forgiveness, sustains courage when confronted with challenges, and supports the development of a profound sense of thanks for the many gifts we receive each and every day of our life.
It is a true appreciation of life and all that comes with it. Waking up, I am grateful. Moving through my day, noticing the world around me and being an active part in it, I am grateful. Resting into my comfy bed at night, I am grateful. It’s more than just “thank you,” although Eckhart Tolle did say that if the only prayer you ever said was “thank you” that it would be enough.
What Deann said…
My own take on it is that all of life is a gift. Gratitude is the awareness of wonder and awe I have when I am present and come to that realization one more time, no matter what.
Gratitude is appreciation and respect. The realization that I am only a small human on a very big planet. I am only here for a short time and my cosmic responsibility is to experience all that I can while I’m here, good things and bad things are of equal value to my mission.
Open Heart and Open Mind…always being willing to let Life flow through me…We are the living expression of Life itself…Several people have said that “Life is the dancer and we are the dance.” Gratefulness is a way of living that allows me to let go…to let Life dance me and trust the movement of the moment.
Sparrow, it amazes me how many things take care of themselves when I can just go with the flow. I didn’t know how to do that for so many years. My son came today and we had an interesting conversation about school teachers that he remembers. I was so young when I had my son. It’s amazing how he survived such a youthful mother who didn’t know much. I learn something from him every time I’m around him!
I too,
was very young
when I had my son,
dear Carol Ann,
and like you,
am amazed that he has survived
as he has . . .
I’m happy I’m not the only one.
It sounds like your son
loves you very much. ♥
Gratefulness iis the awareness that all is Gift, from each Breathe and emotion I feel. It’s what brings a grin or smile to my face and sometimes tears to my eyes. Gentle thoughts to all this day, as heat waves, and poor air quality from the fires everywhere is back. ☮️🌻
To me, gratefulness is like a dark chocolate bar. Its bitterness is more than its sweetness. I’m grateful that I can taste the bitterness but still enjoy the chocolate anyway. 🍫
My Ngoc, speaking of the sweets, luckily, my blood sugar was good yesterday at 154 after having a couple brownnie bars on the airplane. It helped that I didn’t eat much when coming home.
I am on Day 95/100 of the Gratefulness Challenge. One might think my personal definition would have expanded because of that. Or at least I might think that. However, while my understanding and appreciation has deepened, and I certainly have had some ahas, slowing down, being open and present, is where it all begins for me. Enjoy this amazing day Everyone.🌸
Gratefulness is the gift that overcomes your very being when you open your heart at any given moment ( good or bad) and it has the power to regulate your mind into realizing there is a gift to be found: For some it takes practice and perseverance to stop and be grateful for others it’s an innate ability.
It happens easiest when a person learns to pause internally with a breath and uses all available senses to experience a moment, thought or memory.
Not looking upon my circumstances but looking upon my capabilities. Loving kindness. The present of presence. So many words. So many ways to string them together. I am grateful for all who reflect here and all who maintain this site.
Peace, Love & Light.
Acceptance of this present moment and letting go of the false human mind made of karma (life lived), habits (inherited from ancestors) and the body and gratefulness arrises naturally with natures flow.
Antoinette, having friends is great. I’ve got buddy systems to let go of no matter how pure they are. Buddy systems are designed to get us from A-B. I find that my family are the people who are there when needed most.
To put simply, it’s grattitude for what I already have. Hot weather isn’t my biggest challenge. All I need is a hand-held fan, and I’m cool. My biggest challenge during the Japan trip was getting past my buddy systems. I’m certainly grateful for the love and care from my family even if I feel that there’s less common ground.
Going deeper. I’ve talked about Josh Klander before. He’s blind and struggles with mental illness. I met him at a summer transition program in St. Paul in 2010 for blind and visually impaired people.
The same Big Island girl I’ve mentioned before dumped me the 3rd time at the beginning of the 2013-14 school year, my freshman year at McNally Smith College of Music. I was feeling fragile and in desperate need of a guy friend at the time for direction and firmness, because throughout my life up to that point, the majority of my friends were girls. Even during my McNally years, I gravitated more towards women, because they felt so comfortable to talk to with their sweet voices, long hair, and being able to see multiple sides. Josh was the one who was there when needed most, talked to me everyday, and preached the gospel to me in a way that felt comfortable even at a time when my Buddhist roots were stronger.
It was around 2015 that I became a Christian. He was at his lowest point with his mental health struggles and wrestling with his faith. I wasn’t ready to reveal that to my close circle yet, because they knew me as a Buddhist. As for my family, particularly my parents, differences in languages, cultures, and generations on top of even my minimal autism created a communication barrior, especially on my end. Most importantly, Traditional Asian adults are not known to be fond of buddy systems. My mom would have given me a lecture if I revealed that my Christianity beliefs was rooted in conversations with Josh no matter how pure his intentions are. In fairness, I was very naive back then. The last thing I wanted was to put myself in the position where I’m fighting a losing battle. Revealing that too soon will lead to that. The truth comes out on its time.
In Japan, I couldn’t call my buddies, because it would charge extra money. I don’t know about Canada and Mexico, but all I know that it’s best to keep that buddy system phone talk in the US. Anywhere else, I recommend sticking with Messenger or Facetime.
Being raised in a culture where I have less commonality with increased my desire for common ground. I remember talking about my empires here on this site before, especially before Ngoc’s Vietnam trip.
Not having my buddy systems along with knowing how Ngoc’s family are far from her in distance makes me grateful for the time spent with my earthly family. Enjoy that family time while it lasts.
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Gratefulness for me is appreciation for all I have.
Waking up & giving thanks for the day ahead & at bedtime, giving thanks for the day’s gifts, keeps me in the loop of thankfulness.
I try to appreciate it all.
I am truly blessed.🙏🏻❤️
Another good and challenging question for reflection. For me, now, briefly, Gratefulness is a chosen way of human living that, with practice, strengthens self-awareness, awakens one (further) to (connection and appreciation of) our surrounding world, cultivates individual and collective acceptance, reflection, and forgiveness, sustains courage when confronted with challenges, and supports the development of a profound sense of thanks for the many gifts we receive each and every day of our life.
It is a true appreciation of life and all that comes with it. Waking up, I am grateful. Moving through my day, noticing the world around me and being an active part in it, I am grateful. Resting into my comfy bed at night, I am grateful. It’s more than just “thank you,” although Eckhart Tolle did say that if the only prayer you ever said was “thank you” that it would be enough.
Yes thank you ! It’s a beautiful day . Thank you!
☀️
What Deann said…
My own take on it is that all of life is a gift. Gratitude is the awareness of wonder and awe I have when I am present and come to that realization one more time, no matter what.
Awareness of wonder and awe- love this.
Gratitude is appreciation and respect. The realization that I am only a small human on a very big planet. I am only here for a short time and my cosmic responsibility is to experience all that I can while I’m here, good things and bad things are of equal value to my mission.
Open Heart and Open Mind…always being willing to let Life flow through me…We are the living expression of Life itself…Several people have said that “Life is the dancer and we are the dance.” Gratefulness is a way of living that allows me to let go…to let Life dance me and trust the movement of the moment.
“ to let life dance me and trust the movement of the moment”. Carol Ann I truly think you should publish your words and poems. You have a gift
DEANN, Thanks for the kind words. I just seem to shy away from the intensity of writing a book.
CAROL ANN, let life dance me is so joyful and light. Thank you . Let the energy and light become you .
Antoinette, Thank you
I love the imagery in your reflection,
dear Carol Ann . . .
the delights it conjures up
are so full of Light.
Thank you for this gift. ♥
Sparrow, it amazes me how many things take care of themselves when I can just go with the flow. I didn’t know how to do that for so many years. My son came today and we had an interesting conversation about school teachers that he remembers. I was so young when I had my son. It’s amazing how he survived such a youthful mother who didn’t know much. I learn something from him every time I’m around him!
I too,
was very young
when I had my son,
dear Carol Ann,
and like you,
am amazed that he has survived
as he has . . .
I’m happy I’m not the only one.
It sounds like your son
loves you very much. ♥
Being aware and present.
Gratefulness iis the awareness that all is Gift, from each Breathe and emotion I feel. It’s what brings a grin or smile to my face and sometimes tears to my eyes. Gentle thoughts to all this day, as heat waves, and poor air quality from the fires everywhere is back. ☮️🌻
My first successful sunflowers
are getting very tall,
dear Carla . . . 🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻
To me, gratefulness is like a dark chocolate bar. Its bitterness is more than its sweetness. I’m grateful that I can taste the bitterness but still enjoy the chocolate anyway. 🍫
My Ngoc, speaking of the sweets, luckily, my blood sugar was good yesterday at 154 after having a couple brownnie bars on the airplane. It helped that I didn’t eat much when coming home.
Being thankful and grateful for what you have. Start each day with gratefulness and end it that way too.
I am on Day 95/100 of the Gratefulness Challenge. One might think my personal definition would have expanded because of that. Or at least I might think that. However, while my understanding and appreciation has deepened, and I certainly have had some ahas, slowing down, being open and present, is where it all begins for me. Enjoy this amazing day Everyone.🌸
I have most certainly enjoyed this amazing day,
dear Mary. ♥
🩷
Gratefulness is the gift that overcomes your very being when you open your heart at any given moment ( good or bad) and it has the power to regulate your mind into realizing there is a gift to be found: For some it takes practice and perseverance to stop and be grateful for others it’s an innate ability.
It happens easiest when a person learns to pause internally with a breath and uses all available senses to experience a moment, thought or memory.
🙏
This!
Love this!
Wow! Thank you, Deann.🌸
Not looking upon my circumstances but looking upon my capabilities. Loving kindness. The present of presence. So many words. So many ways to string them together. I am grateful for all who reflect here and all who maintain this site.
Peace, Love & Light.
I am finding that today,
dear Joseph,
my capabilities
have been much more present lately,
due in part
to belonging to this community. ♥
Acceptance of this present moment and letting go of the false human mind made of karma (life lived), habits (inherited from ancestors) and the body and gratefulness arrises naturally with natures flow.
Beautifully said.
Antoinette, having friends is great. I’ve got buddy systems to let go of no matter how pure they are. Buddy systems are designed to get us from A-B. I find that my family are the people who are there when needed most.
To put simply, it’s grattitude for what I already have. Hot weather isn’t my biggest challenge. All I need is a hand-held fan, and I’m cool. My biggest challenge during the Japan trip was getting past my buddy systems. I’m certainly grateful for the love and care from my family even if I feel that there’s less common ground.
Going deeper. I’ve talked about Josh Klander before. He’s blind and struggles with mental illness. I met him at a summer transition program in St. Paul in 2010 for blind and visually impaired people.
The same Big Island girl I’ve mentioned before dumped me the 3rd time at the beginning of the 2013-14 school year, my freshman year at McNally Smith College of Music. I was feeling fragile and in desperate need of a guy friend at the time for direction and firmness, because throughout my life up to that point, the majority of my friends were girls. Even during my McNally years, I gravitated more towards women, because they felt so comfortable to talk to with their sweet voices, long hair, and being able to see multiple sides. Josh was the one who was there when needed most, talked to me everyday, and preached the gospel to me in a way that felt comfortable even at a time when my Buddhist roots were stronger.
It was around 2015 that I became a Christian. He was at his lowest point with his mental health struggles and wrestling with his faith. I wasn’t ready to reveal that to my close circle yet, because they knew me as a Buddhist. As for my family, particularly my parents, differences in languages, cultures, and generations on top of even my minimal autism created a communication barrior, especially on my end. Most importantly, Traditional Asian adults are not known to be fond of buddy systems. My mom would have given me a lecture if I revealed that my Christianity beliefs was rooted in conversations with Josh no matter how pure his intentions are. In fairness, I was very naive back then. The last thing I wanted was to put myself in the position where I’m fighting a losing battle. Revealing that too soon will lead to that. The truth comes out on its time.
In Japan, I couldn’t call my buddies, because it would charge extra money. I don’t know about Canada and Mexico, but all I know that it’s best to keep that buddy system phone talk in the US. Anywhere else, I recommend sticking with Messenger or Facetime.
Being raised in a culture where I have less commonality with increased my desire for common ground. I remember talking about my empires here on this site before, especially before Ngoc’s Vietnam trip.
Not having my buddy systems along with knowing how Ngoc’s family are far from her in distance makes me grateful for the time spent with my earthly family. Enjoy that family time while it lasts.