Probably my grandma, who had a paralyzed leg but still enjoyed a full life, but on a smaller scale. She learned how to enjoy her life even with her disability. She was also appreciative of the smaller things in life.
My Papaw had a paralyzed leg, but he didn’t let it stop him from enjoying life. I always loved that when I was a kid. Definitely an inspiration like your grandma!
I think of my dad and my grandma, both are people who are very accepting which allows them to live gratefully. When I come to them worrying about things that shouldn’t worry me, they go “pues, ya ni modo” which translates to “there’s no other way,” or “it can’t be helped.” This reminds me that I can only accept what is and only focus on what I can control.
And for them, I am grateful. 🧡
Soooooo good to still see people contributing to this website, I’ve missed y’all and reading your responses!
I truly did not discover Gratitude
as a way of Life
or a Practice,
until I read,
perhaps in ‘Simple Abundance’,
about writing down five things every day
that I am grateful for,
no matter how good or how badly I feel,
no matter how far I had to stretch
some days.
I felt like I had tried everything,
and so I did.
And still do.
There was really no one in my life at the time
with whom I could share this.
I told one friend,
and she said, ‘been there,
done that–
I keep it all in my head.’
But I found
that writing it down makes a difference.
End of conversation.
So I Practiced in silence for a few years,
and came upon this site,
eventually finding the old forum,
where I timidly started to post.
Things changed here,
but after a time
I started to come back,
and have found so much strength,
courage,
resilience, wisdom,
and gratitude in this community
that it felt right to keep coming here.
You are my community now . . .
I look forward to coming here
first thing in the morning
and then in the evening,
because you are here.
You teach me with your words
and by your example . . .
I love the nakedness of your truth
and the sincerity with which you express it.
Those who built this place
and you who inhabit it
give me an anchor . . .
I am inspired
by your stories,
by your struggles,
and by the bravery in how you live your lives.
I have no idea of who you are
in the world outside of these pages,
but I love your souls . . .
for your honesty
and your generosity of spirit.
I know it’s not true,
but when I go out to do my grocery shopping
I wonder
if I might be seeing you somewhere . . .
passing you in the produce section
or standing behind you in the check out line.
You’re out there,
I know it,
spreading your kindness
out into the world. ♥
I love that book “Simple Abundance” Sparrow. Thank you for the reminder of this most precious book; I have forgotten about it. Probably one of my 1st books that guided my gratefulness practice.
Have a blessed day. ❤️
You inspire me to live gratefully, Sparrow, with your beautiful writing and your honesty. I love the idea of imagining that someone ahead of me in the line at the store is one of us. How much easier it would be to wait if we thought of the people ahead of us as our friends and companions.
”How much easier it would be to wait if we thought of the people ahead of us as our friends and companions.”
That’s why I do it,
dear Barb . . .
it also reminds me
of something I read
about a stranger in rags
turning out to be God. ♥
M< teachers do, and in a way, each one is my teacher; I was always touched by the suffering of my fellow friends and tried to listen to them and to help in whatever way was possible , if allowed and required. People inspired by Br. David´s great work and ideas did; everyone I meet does in a way, as meeting others and listening to each other and simply being together is causing deep gratefulness any time we meet. True friendship does, which I will never take for granted.
This site, those who run it and those who share here are at the top of my list. A DVD of a talk Br. David gave in California many years ago brought me here and to this day his words inspire me. My mentor (RIP) whose company I shared for over 27 years. Folks who reached out to help me especially at the time of my divorce, when I was so confused, I couldn’t help myself. The twelve step program for the families of alcoholics that taught me a new way to live. My son who was and is still my teacher. And my decision to be open and willing to grow.
Definitely all of you in this group, inspire me every day with your thoughts and lessons.
And also, it gives me a warm feeling to think about Monks or other people living an ascetic life with very little, materially, and are still able to find joy and contentment in such a simple life.
Brother David and everyone here. When I first became aware of Br. David, I was in awe that any human being could dedicate their entire life to understanding, practicing, and sharing gratefulness. He still blows my mind. All of you here–the way you confront your daily struggles, the way you find inspiration in everyday life, and the way you challenge yourself to answer the question as part of a greater practice–you all in inspire me too.
Interestingly my mind immediately jumped to those of my friends who radiate joy. So not even thinking about gratitude, the person who stands out in my mind at this moment is my college roommate. I remember so clearly her joy for life, I remember her dancing in the living room, I remember her singing at the to of a mountain, I remember how she showed me it’s ok to be happy and express it.
Now we are older and she has the same joy, and so does her daughter, and so do her daughter’s two beautiful little girls. They are an inspiration for me when I feel I am struggling.
This community and the people who make the site work every day. Your honesty and sharing have made this a welcome part of my mornings and I miss it on days that are so full I don’t have time for my routine and reflection.
I appreciate my sweetheart every day for all the ways he takes care of me and our home and yard.
Often I recognize that I’m applying a lesson or mindset I learned from my parents, especially my mom, and I am grateful all over again for the start I got in life thanks to them.
Poets whose words help me see the world afresh remind me of the many, many things I can be grateful for. This morning I started reading Wendell Berry’s final book, “Another Day: Sabbath Poems 2013-2023.” One that exemplifies this seeing with new eyes, as Proust said:
III.
In a country you know by heart
it is impossible to go the same way twice.
Changes of time, mind, weather,
and light make all ways new.
To one whose eyes have opened, any place
is compounded of places unending
to the end of time, and travel is well
accomplished by standing still.
Brother David inspires me to live gratefully.
It is because of him I found this site, gratefulness.org, & learned the art of living with gratefulness.
I am inspired by everyone who participates here, as well. I have learned so much from all of you. This is a gathering place of thoughtful people, IMHO. ❤️🤗
And, I inspire myself to live gratefully. I have so much to be grateful for. I am blessed.🙏🏻
🕊️❤️
All the people who join here inspire me and the meditation community all over the world who practice discarding the false mind. I’m very grateful to everyone who teach me something and I’m humbled by how little I know . I’m grateful to reflect and let go . Thank you . 🙏
What inspires me to live gratefully. The beauty of nature, all that my body can do, and the power of love inspire me to live gratefully. How?
Paraphrasing a quote that I saw recently, Notice beauty, Take in the awe, talk about it.
Oh my, the question asked who inspires me, not what inspires me. So I answered a different question. 🙋🏻♀️
Anyone older than me who exhibits spunk. I have a 95 year old neighbor who enjoys everything she does to the fullest. When she engages in a conversation she makes the other person feel like they are the only one in the room.what a gift.
Again – this group. It is why I keep coming back after my distractions, sabbaticals, vacations, busyness, illnesses – whatever pulls me away for awhile. You all are my accountability, my inspiration, my hope, my reminders, my visionaries – all for gratitude and gratefulness.
I concur with most of the previous posts. This group inspires me to live gratefully. You are all a reminder of the light that is ever present and really never obscured. We just sometimes are distracted by the darkness and the chaos. But the light is strong and steady. you just have to orient toward it.
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Probably my grandma, who had a paralyzed leg but still enjoyed a full life, but on a smaller scale. She learned how to enjoy her life even with her disability. She was also appreciative of the smaller things in life.
My Papaw had a paralyzed leg, but he didn’t let it stop him from enjoying life. I always loved that when I was a kid. Definitely an inspiration like your grandma!
I think of my dad and my grandma, both are people who are very accepting which allows them to live gratefully. When I come to them worrying about things that shouldn’t worry me, they go “pues, ya ni modo” which translates to “there’s no other way,” or “it can’t be helped.” This reminds me that I can only accept what is and only focus on what I can control.
And for them, I am grateful. 🧡
Soooooo good to still see people contributing to this website, I’ve missed y’all and reading your responses!
Hi Jenifer 🙂
Welcome back 🙂
I felt the same way about my grandmother,
dear Jenifer . . .
ps. it’s good to see you here again. ♥
Nice to read your return, Jenifer.
I truly did not discover Gratitude
as a way of Life
or a Practice,
until I read,
perhaps in ‘Simple Abundance’,
about writing down five things every day
that I am grateful for,
no matter how good or how badly I feel,
no matter how far I had to stretch
some days.
I felt like I had tried everything,
and so I did.
And still do.
There was really no one in my life at the time
with whom I could share this.
I told one friend,
and she said, ‘been there,
done that–
I keep it all in my head.’
But I found
that writing it down makes a difference.
End of conversation.
So I Practiced in silence for a few years,
and came upon this site,
eventually finding the old forum,
where I timidly started to post.
Things changed here,
but after a time
I started to come back,
and have found so much strength,
courage,
resilience, wisdom,
and gratitude in this community
that it felt right to keep coming here.
You are my community now . . .
I look forward to coming here
first thing in the morning
and then in the evening,
because you are here.
You teach me with your words
and by your example . . .
I love the nakedness of your truth
and the sincerity with which you express it.
Those who built this place
and you who inhabit it
give me an anchor . . .
I am inspired
by your stories,
by your struggles,
and by the bravery in how you live your lives.
I have no idea of who you are
in the world outside of these pages,
but I love your souls . . .
for your honesty
and your generosity of spirit.
I know it’s not true,
but when I go out to do my grocery shopping
I wonder
if I might be seeing you somewhere . . .
passing you in the produce section
or standing behind you in the check out line.
You’re out there,
I know it,
spreading your kindness
out into the world. ♥
I love that book “Simple Abundance” Sparrow. Thank you for the reminder of this most precious book; I have forgotten about it. Probably one of my 1st books that guided my gratefulness practice.
Have a blessed day. ❤️
Me too,
dear PKR . . . ♥
You inspire me to live gratefully, Sparrow, with your beautiful writing and your honesty. I love the idea of imagining that someone ahead of me in the line at the store is one of us. How much easier it would be to wait if we thought of the people ahead of us as our friends and companions.
”How much easier it would be to wait if we thought of the people ahead of us as our friends and companions.”
That’s why I do it,
dear Barb . . .
it also reminds me
of something I read
about a stranger in rags
turning out to be God. ♥
💞
Stated so eloquently and my feelings about this space and those (this community) that inhabit it, too.
M< teachers do, and in a way, each one is my teacher; I was always touched by the suffering of my fellow friends and tried to listen to them and to help in whatever way was possible , if allowed and required. People inspired by Br. David´s great work and ideas did; everyone I meet does in a way, as meeting others and listening to each other and simply being together is causing deep gratefulness any time we meet. True friendship does, which I will never take for granted.
This site, those who run it and those who share here are at the top of my list. A DVD of a talk Br. David gave in California many years ago brought me here and to this day his words inspire me. My mentor (RIP) whose company I shared for over 27 years. Folks who reached out to help me especially at the time of my divorce, when I was so confused, I couldn’t help myself. The twelve step program for the families of alcoholics that taught me a new way to live. My son who was and is still my teacher. And my decision to be open and willing to grow.
Definitely all of you in this group, inspire me every day with your thoughts and lessons.
And also, it gives me a warm feeling to think about Monks or other people living an ascetic life with very little, materially, and are still able to find joy and contentment in such a simple life.
Brother David and everyone here. When I first became aware of Br. David, I was in awe that any human being could dedicate their entire life to understanding, practicing, and sharing gratefulness. He still blows my mind. All of you here–the way you confront your daily struggles, the way you find inspiration in everyday life, and the way you challenge yourself to answer the question as part of a greater practice–you all in inspire me too.
DREA
Thank you ☺️. You inspire me too ! Everyone here is so caring and honest. I appreciate all of
You . Hugs 🤗
Hugs back to you, Antoinette!
Interestingly my mind immediately jumped to those of my friends who radiate joy. So not even thinking about gratitude, the person who stands out in my mind at this moment is my college roommate. I remember so clearly her joy for life, I remember her dancing in the living room, I remember her singing at the to of a mountain, I remember how she showed me it’s ok to be happy and express it.
Now we are older and she has the same joy, and so does her daughter, and so do her daughter’s two beautiful little girls. They are an inspiration for me when I feel I am struggling.
You are fortunate,
dear Ann,
to have such a friend. ♥
This community and the people who make the site work every day. Your honesty and sharing have made this a welcome part of my mornings and I miss it on days that are so full I don’t have time for my routine and reflection.
I appreciate my sweetheart every day for all the ways he takes care of me and our home and yard.
Often I recognize that I’m applying a lesson or mindset I learned from my parents, especially my mom, and I am grateful all over again for the start I got in life thanks to them.
Poets whose words help me see the world afresh remind me of the many, many things I can be grateful for. This morning I started reading Wendell Berry’s final book, “Another Day: Sabbath Poems 2013-2023.” One that exemplifies this seeing with new eyes, as Proust said:
III.
In a country you know by heart
it is impossible to go the same way twice.
Changes of time, mind, weather,
and light make all ways new.
To one whose eyes have opened, any place
is compounded of places unending
to the end of time, and travel is well
accomplished by standing still.
”To one whose eyes have opened, any place
is compounded of places unending
to the end of time, and travel is well
accomplished by standing still.”
Sometimes,
dear Barb,
I wonder
that standing still
is the best travel of all. ♥
Brother David inspires me to live gratefully.
It is because of him I found this site, gratefulness.org, & learned the art of living with gratefulness.
I am inspired by everyone who participates here, as well. I have learned so much from all of you. This is a gathering place of thoughtful people, IMHO. ❤️🤗
And, I inspire myself to live gratefully. I have so much to be grateful for. I am blessed.🙏🏻
🕊️❤️
Oh dear,
I am virtually illiterate in the language of LOL and OMG,
dear PKR . . .
what does IMHO mean? ♥
“In my humble opinion”, Sparrow.
❤️😊❤️
in my honest/humble opinion … also a shorter version of ‘imo’ is used
Thank you,
dear Michele . . . 🙂
🙏
All the people who join here inspire me and the meditation community all over the world who practice discarding the false mind. I’m very grateful to everyone who teach me something and I’m humbled by how little I know . I’m grateful to reflect and let go . Thank you . 🙏
Namaste,
dear Antoinette. 🙏
What inspires me to live gratefully. The beauty of nature, all that my body can do, and the power of love inspire me to live gratefully. How?
Paraphrasing a quote that I saw recently, Notice beauty, Take in the awe, talk about it.
Oh my, the question asked who inspires me, not what inspires me. So I answered a different question. 🙋🏻♀️
Anyone older than me who exhibits spunk. I have a 95 year old neighbor who enjoys everything she does to the fullest. When she engages in a conversation she makes the other person feel like they are the only one in the room.what a gift.
🙂
Again – this group. It is why I keep coming back after my distractions, sabbaticals, vacations, busyness, illnesses – whatever pulls me away for awhile. You all are my accountability, my inspiration, my hope, my reminders, my visionaries – all for gratitude and gratefulness.
I concur with most of the previous posts. This group inspires me to live gratefully. You are all a reminder of the light that is ever present and really never obscured. We just sometimes are distracted by the darkness and the chaos. But the light is strong and steady. you just have to orient toward it.
Yes, yes, yes,
dear Avril . . .
coming here
helps me too
to orient towards the light. ♥