Day 89

"Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone."

 

G.B. Stern

Today is a sort of assignment. Its one thing to switch your perspective, to go through your day with an awareness of your blessings and a spirit of gratitude.....It is another thing entirely to share it with others. This started as a journey that I was taking....a journey in which my eyes weren't glued to the path ahead of me, but rather up and open, seeing and taking in all of the blessings a day (or 30 years of life) can bring. Seeing it, taking it in, and sending my gratitude back...back to God, to the universe, to the collective world energy...whatever it is you believe in. I've only been writing these for a week and a half and the response has been overwhelming. All of a sudden I'm getting emails, posts, comments, and texts from all of you telling me that you're here with me. It is so incredibly moving. And all because I decided to share. Its as simply as that. I mean, we're all in this thing together, right? (OCMS reference!) We're all connected. Sometimes we may feel so incredibly alone, but we are never alone. Opening up and sharing our gratitude is a sure fire way to reconnect with your fellow man.

So I challenge you today to do just that. Express your gratitude to someone. We say "thank you" as an automatic response these days. I challenge you to go beyond that. Don't get me wrong...a simple "thank you" is a beautiful thing when it is truly meant and not just sent from the auto-pilot in your brain. I was having a particularly wretched day last week and had to go to the post office to mail a box for work. There I was, storming in the from the parking lot, no doubt with a terrific scowl on my face, and an older gentleman held the door open for me. It stopped me dead in my tracks. I could've kept scowling, murmured "thanks" and kept going. Instead, I looked him in the eye and said "Thank you so much. I really appreciate that." He almost seemed taken aback as well. Then we both just smiled at each other for a moment. That second in time could've gone two very different ways....but his act of kindness and my expression of gratitude left both of us with a smile on our face. A smile that stayed with me through my afternoon. And if given the option...I would take a smile over a scowl any day of the week.

It can be big, small, anything! Maybe someone really came to your rescue and you don't feel like you ever truly expressed your gratitude properly. Maybe someone did you a small favor and you just want to let them know you appreciate it. Maybe it'll catch you off guard like a man holding open a door. Maybe your son or daughter drew you a picture at school and you take a moment to really connect with them and tell them how much it means to you. Or maybe you just want to share with someone how grateful you are for something in your world, even if they did not provide it. That is what I am trying to do here everyday. Telling all of you wonderful people how grateful I am for people, places, things, life! It can be anything under the sun! Just share it. You can even share it with us here! Please feel free to leave comments under this post and let us all know what you are grateful for today.

Each time you do this, you increase the day's positive energy. How cool is that?!?

Day 89: I am grateful for each an every person that reads this blog, letting me share these thoughts. I am grateful that there are those willing to listen and those who open themselves up in return.