Practicing Gratitude

Sometimes gratitude does not come easily.  There's a lot to be grateful for and yet sometimes the complaints come way more readliy.

Sometimes it's an effort to shake off the negative perspective and seek out the positive.

And sometimes that effort seems mammoth.



But it's an effort worth making.  Because what is the alternative?  Spending my energy focusing on the small inconveniences, the little imperfections in life?

My kids get up early.  Too early, really.  So early that if they slept until 6am I would be thrilled.

And sometimes this makes me grumpy.  Tired and grumpy.  And it's not always easy but I try to focus on the positive in the situation.

I try to see it as an opportunity to get up early and meditate.

I think about how, in a blink of an eye they will be surly teenagers who sleep until noon.

I relish the way they wake up each day so full of life and eager for the day.

I listen to them chat together and instead of rueing the fact that they share a room and  wake each other up I honor the fact that their shared room has built a close as close relationship.

But sometimes I have to actively cultivate these thoughts.  When my natural inclination is  an incomprehensibly tired growl I need to really focus on what matters.  

And that is not that I am tired.

It's easy to get caught up in the importance of ourselves, our needs, our desires, getting what we want.

But sometimes it's important to rise above that a little.  It's not all about me.

Humility cultivates gratitude.  And humility means getting outside of myself some and walking around in the bigger picture.

And the bigger picture is damn beautiful, and is certainly something to be grateful for.  

Especially at sunrise.

What situation challenges you to be grateful?

Listen to The Beatles Good Day Sunshine

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