If you told me 20 years ago I would be listing all that I’m thankful for as my head hits the pillow every night, I’d have looked at you like you were crazy.
Sure, I was grateful for some things in my life, but honestly I attributed most of them to my own hard work and boundless energy. I rarely stopped and counted my blessings.
Now it’s like I can’t stop. All day long sometimes.
The bird that lands on the bench where I’m writing. Grateful.
The sunny day that makes me put my arms out in disbelief like I’m Julie Andrews on a mountain. Grateful.
A healthy blood pressure reading. Grateful.
Pizza that tastes so good it makes me want to sing. Grateful.
An electrifying song coming on the radio at just the right time. Grateful.
Staring at just about any piece by Renoir. Grateful.
Of all the shifts I’ve made to become a better person, probably none feels as profound as the discovery of gratitude. I no longer have to reach for it. The ‘thank yous’ flow out of me, sometimes under my breath as I’m walking down the street.
I live riveted to continually connecting to that place within myself and, by extension, it is the most vital piece of advice I can give to anyone who is feeling victimized by life, perpetually angry, or wondering why they can’t have what someone else is having.
If there is a grateful energy around a person, we can feel it. It makes us want to help them, shower them with love. It’s automatic, like a reflex. When a different vibe emanates from a person, one that says nothing we do or nothing life gives them is ever enough, we may still help but we do it from a different place. At best we wish they would awaken to what they’re missing.
Sometimes the best guidance to fall back on when it comes to living well and meaningfully comes from Don Miguel Ruiz in his bestselling book The Four Agreements. They are:
~ Be impeccable with your word.
~ Don’t take anything personally.
~ Don’t make assumptions.
~ Always do your best.
Wonderful wisdom. As we head into 2015, might we add ‘Practice conscious gratitude’ to that list?
Last week I was walking in my neighborhood and an older gentleman was picking up trash on the streets. He had one of those garbage cans on wheels and he pulled it along as he did his job. Suddenly I noticed he had ornaments hanging off the front of the can. I stopped short and told him I loved his ornaments. They were all different; they seemed collected.
“Thank you, I like them,” he said with a smile.
The man had made a point of brightening his own day. I was grateful to have run into him because he put a smile on my face. About half a block later I ran into a younger man I see around town a lot. He stopped me and struck up a conversation and then asked me for some career advice. I told him the story of the man with the tricked-out garbage can.
“Enjoy what you do and be grateful for what you have,” I said.
He nodded and thanked me.
By Nancy Colasurdo
