GRATITUDE; ˈɡratɪtjuːd/noun
the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
synonyms: gratefulness, thankfulness, thanks, appreciation, recognition, acknowledgement.
After reading Oprah Winfrey’s book “What I Know For Sure” last Christmas I made the change! There were a number of points I haven taken from the book and happily recommend it to anyone who listens, but this one part in particular hasn’t faded from my mind.
In one chapter Oprah spoke about her Gratitude dairy that she has written for a number years, decades even! Three things she’s thankful for each day. Seems easy doesn’t it? I thought why not give it a go myself! So as the first day of the New Year approached I got out my new diary, loving the atmosphere and celebration of a brand new beginning, the excitment of 12 whole months ahead of me! I was ready to begin!
As my journey commenced it really opened my eyes to how much beauty there is around in every single moment of our days! I felt more happier, excited and colourful even! Sure there might be days were you feel like nothing’s going your way and there’s a big dark rain cloud hovering over you, but did you notice the hug your mum gave you this morning? The nudge your dad came in to give you to awaken you in time for work? That smile the person at your local coffee shop gave you? The bus driver who saw you running towards him and waited? The person who held the lift door for you as you hurried in? That “rainbow” on your kitchen floor has the afternoon sun hit the glass window? The smell of your neighbours garden flowers as you walked by? The beautiful butterfly that also joined in? The uncontainable happiness, excitment and joy your dog has when he sees you approaching the front door? The joke your brother told you at the dinner table? The softness and comfort of your own bed and pillow at the end of the day?
We all rush through our days self absorbed and forget to look around, stop and smell the roses as they say! We countdown the days to Friday afternoon, the weekends with our family and friends but what’s wrong with RIGHT NOW? This very moment we’re in, our friends and/or family sitting next to us watching the TV, reading their book, staring at their iPhones, sharing stories of their days and laughing amongst each other. These are the true moments that need be cherished, we need to show our gratitude for the fact they are all still with us, healthy, happy and safe!
The universe works in mysterious ways and everything we come across in our lives is there for a reason. Good or bad we need to be thankful for the lesson it teaches us, something’s might not even have a meaning or lesson behind it but it provokes something in you. Why is that you and your best friend connect closer than your other friends? Why did you fall in love with your partner and not anybody else? Why was it that you got every green light in peak hour traffic? Was it to keep you out of an accident? Whatever these reasons are we’ll never know but let’s all take a minute just to say thank you!
Thank you for allowing me to wake up and face another beautiful day which someone else didn’t get gifted with today.
Thank you for the friends and family I laugh, share and cry with and the fact that I’m not facing my journey alone.
Thank you for the fresh air, warm home and food that I have been fortunate to have knowing the fact that there are some out there who will never get to experience this.
And here’s to us starting on our Graitude journey to pause, take in and see the beauty around each and everyday!
thismagiclife 