Giving Gratitude
As I pondered the power of Gratitude to open our hearts and how much we need our hearts open in love and inclusiveness…now more than ever…I came across this quote which says it so much better than I can.
“If the only prayer you say in your life is ‘thank you’ that would suffice…” (Christian Mystic, Meister Echart)
There is more to being grateful than the thanks we give when we get what we desire. What about the things that did not come our way… by the grace of God. Maybe just maybe, the desire was formed with pride and ego, and we could have been crushed, but were spared.
“If you can’t be thankful for what you receive, be thankful for what you escaped.” (Anonymous)
Are you grateful, for instance, for the confusing fog of not knowing which way to turn? Do you realize that the confusion may be protecting you from stepping too quickly or moving in the wrong direction?
After the fog has lifted can you be grateful, even while being overwhelmed by the mystery of it all, not knowing if there is ever going to be a dance floor on which to dance again?
Will you stop and allow yourself to be filled with devotion and gratitude from the very essence of your being without the security of guarantees.
How long has it been since you slowed down and allowed a wave of gratitude to wash over you? If it has being a while, stop, breathe, reflect and do it now. Like everything worth doing, it is more powerful with each repetition. Make it a Practice.
Have you wondered why it is that people who have experienced misfortunes or weathered a catastrophe are more apt to express deep gratitude?
Curious, I found a key to gratitude is inherent in a crisis.
A crisis stops us in our tracks; minimizes our distractions, thereby changing our usual energy fields and our familiar way of looking at what is really important. When we have weathered a crisis, we are not the same as before. This moment in time allows a space for a new pattern of behavior to be chosen, a new beginning.
Do not wait for a crisis, do not wait until! until! when everything is flowing smoothly. Be thankful now.
There is enormous power in Gratitude to change our hearts and our brains. It will, if we practice, Gratitude will be an open door to loving ourselves and others. It softens our hearts and helps us feel more worthy to receive love. It works every day… Thanksgiving is just a nudge.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones.
I am Grateful that you are in my life.