More Gratitude

This is a subject I could talk about till I die.  It is gratitude that we need more of and what we need to think more about.  It is the lack of gratitude that creates a sense of privilege and a false sense of importance.  It is the missing piece in our society and it is what makes it so easy for people to leave friendships and marriages as if everyone were interchangeable.  Our lack of gratitude makes us feel as though we are deserving of everything without having to do anything to deserve it.  It is why so many spouses feel like they are not appreciated.  It is people who tend not to thank others for what they do, including their partners or spouses.

Gratitude is not something we can teach others.  It is a feeling that one has when we know that we are fortunate and blessed to have what we have.  We have this sense of being humble about what we have and we don't assume we should have it or we must have it.  We live in a world where there are more ungrateful people than the ones that are grateful.  I think it is because we have so much and we think so much about having more or asking ourselves why we don't have more.  Instead we should be thankful for what we have.  We live in a world where we get things so instantly.  I call it the McDonald world because like McDonald's fast rate of getting food on a tray to eat we expect that in other areas of our life.  We not only want more but we want it now and we want it fast.

We become grateful when we lose someone or something in our life.  We realize how ungrateful we were to have those things or that person in our life.  We feel remorse at the fact that we did not appreciate those things or that loving individual who brought their best to us.  It is sad to think that we have to lose something in order to feel appreciative of it yet we hear of it happening to others all the time.  They were complaining about their home or they were argumentative with their loved one until they lost their home.  Suddenly they are feeling like they should have appreciated what they had.  Then there is remorse, sadness and disappointment because what could have been is now gone.

We cannot have it all.  We cannot have everything we want and we can be in gratitude for what we have that we need like food and shelter.  The thing about life is that we will see bad times but we cannot be focused on that.  We should be focused on what we do have that is good in our life.  I for one am thanking god for my life.  It is not perfect but it is perfectly fine.  It is not without sadness or pain but it is beautiful.  It is not without lonely times but I am loved my many.  It is not perfect but it is perfect for me and designed as God would have it.  I am grateful for that and for what I have.  I am grateful for the people that love me and have held me in my moments of pain.  I am grateful for the home I live in and the warm bed I sleep in.  I am grateful for the television and the music system in my home.  I am grateful that I am eating each day and that I have the courage to keep on stepping and moving and creating, including writing this blog.

Think about what you are grateful for.  Let go of the feeling that something is missing because there is nothing missing.  You have everything you need.  Feel your feelings of sadness and of mourning.  Feel your feelings of lonliness.  Don't be afraid to feel those feelings yet still be grateful for what you have.  Celebrate your connection with your family and friends.  Celebrate your home and those who love you.  Celebrate your life as the only one you have and stay focused on love.