Lighter Fare: An Attitude of Gratitude
So many of us take aspects of our lives for granted. We become comfortable, settled and 'just assume' that things around us will fall into place.
During the past several months, my life was jolted because of the illness of a family member. Consequently, I needed to re-evaluate the meaning of what makes me grateful, as a new perspective came into focus. It was like having a new pair of glasses, with super-focused vision.
I found so much strength and hope in others, some of whom I had taken for granted, others who rose to the occasion, all the while making new friends and appreciating the old.
What is something for which you are grateful that you have taken for granted in your own life?
Thank you for your minds.
During the past several months, my life was jolted because of the illness of a family member. Consequently, I needed to re-evaluate the meaning of what makes me grateful, as a new perspective came into focus. It was like having a new pair of glasses, with super-focused vision.
I found so much strength and hope in others, some of whom I had taken for granted, others who rose to the occasion, all the while making new friends and appreciating the old.
What is something for which you are grateful that you have taken for granted in your own life?
Thank you for your minds.
7 Comments:
Illness can change one's perspective on what is important.
Today, I am grateful for each and every good day. I take nothing for granted. I can honestly say that I do not worry about what might be, but am settled and enjoy what is each and every day.
I'm grateful for the connection I have to other people. Having gone through periods of life when I was autonomous not always by choice, I find it deeply comforting to have a husband, my dog, dear friends -- some of whom I met the way I met you, Barbara. All this is warmth in what can be a cold world.
I am so to see both of your mireille and merlot!
What beautiful thoughts about gratitude from you both. Family and friends, and our dogs are definitely high priorities, along with good health, of course, which is vital.
I have realized that what I used to think was so important just does not seem to matter that much anymore. It is like a treatise on not sweating the small stuff.
Like you, I am grateful for family, my dog, that you both are here, and of course, a nice beautiful bottle of fragrance! A Serge Lutens A la Nuit, perhaps?
I'd love to list all the things and people and circumstances that I am grateful for...but quite frankly if the truth were told, I take it all for granted. At some level anyway. I think there is a very thin line between appreciating something and taking it for granted. I appreciate the fact that I have shoes and I continue wearing them because they serve a few purposes. But I take them for granted because until moments like now, I forget that there are so many people without them. I appreciate my husband (he might deny that!) and we continue our marriage because we love one another and are better together. But like with most marriages (that's a guess -- I have no empirical evidence for stats), we take one another for granted. And that's not necessarily bad because I think that I would be miserable if I were constantly wondering how long our solid marriage will last. I take it for granted that he is who he says and acts like he is...and I hope he trusts me enought to take me at face value and not worry about my nature during the day. Well, perhaps I have digressed into trusting vs taking for granted. But the whole point is, if we were truly as grateful as we could possibly be for the countless blessings in our lives, we would spend our entire time enumerating those blessings and missing out on enjoying them. So the good news about my thinking on this topic is that I will hit "post" and then sit back and think about my inability to adequately be thankful...and then be thankful that my blessings are beyond my capacity to truly realize.
I am greatful for so many things!
I am incredibly greatful to be an American, just a several minutes away across the border over 400 women have been raped and murdered and the Mexican government refuses to do anything about it, they refuse to even accept the fact that there is a problem in Mexico! Just a few years ago that city got it's very first rape crisis center and there were death threats put out for the director who ran it.
I am greatful for my family who continues to support me in every facet of life.
I'm greatful for my friends, many of whom I've never even met in person who raise me up when I need it the most.
I'm greatful for my health now and that I'm able to work toward being even healthier!
I am greatful for having Hope who greets me every day with a smile.
I'm greatful to have had my Grandmother and April in my life, their memories will forever be etched into my soul and I take a piece of them every where I go.
Thank you, Barbara, for this wonderful topic. As a twelve-stepper, I know to make a daily gratitude list, it is a healthy and positive exercise and it makes me think and focus.
Today I am grateful to have my Mother, and that she is in good health and is able to continue to live in her home and care for herself. This is by far my biggest blessing.
I am grateful to have women friends who lift me up and encourage me.
I'm grateful to have a spiritual advisor who keeps me grounded and challenges me.
I'm grateful to have a spouse who is not always the easiest person to live with. It keeps me a practicing twelve-stepper!
Just surfed on in. Like your blog!
There are several things for which I'm grateful that I know I have taken for granted.
Today, I am grateful for my current job. It's in a field I love and the people aren't bad.
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