It’s tempting in life to simply view the world through one perspective. An acquaintance, Norm, tends to take the cynical or sarcastic route, another acquaintance the over the top rose colored glasses route. Personally, I am focused on taking the gratitude route. Sometimes it is simply hard to be thankful for what feels like a really hard route, but then “hard” is scaleable isn’t it. My young neighbor lost her life yesterday after a five year battle with cancer. Her young family could easily define “hard” today is losing their wife and mother. The week has been difficult here for a few longer days than usual knowing that we passed a milestone of loss on Saturday, when a nephew died on the same time frame several years ago, we were beginning to understand my dad is not invincible either.
The morning still comes however, and I tend to be the one who prefers rose colored glasses. I look out my window and see blooms that come and go. The season of life personified again. I remember the joy of bringing home the bush, the days my young ones and I tended it together and cut it’s blooms. Yes, I could easily focus on the dead heading and the loss of gorgeous blooms to withered and falling apart moments, but that would not be my way…
It seems to me that too much emphasis is placed on judging, evaluating, criticizing in this life. I am often one to say to a client “are you assessing with intention to identify, learn, and improve….or critizing with intention to cut down, covertly self sabotage, or abuse?”
Somehow people believe that bigger is better. Big has it’s advantages, however, as one who works with “big name” folks in the public realm, there are also significant prices to pay for the success of fame. We forget how much power there is in privacy, in owning your own space without concern of photographers, reporters, and misquotes.
My little business has been immensely enjoyable. We support creatives in creating their vision through branding, website development, and communications. Often our work is simple, structural in nature, supporting a business from the roots up. You see, the best ideas cannot fly without graphic branding, structures to support, communicate, and sustain them through growth cycles. I think gratitude is the same way.
Gratitude and success are a mindset. It begins with an appreciation for elements of daily existence that many take for granted. Do you breath on your own? No trachea or oxygen cart to carry around. What about food, is there food in your pantry? Running water isn’t a luxury you say… just try living without it 2 days. That handle that the Tidy-Bowl man is so proud to represent…hmm…shall we return to the outhouse a while to appreciate the indoor plumbing in your life?
“oh everyone has that” you say….where exactly DO you begin appreciation and gratitude in your life? Does your ego say something is only worthy when…? Where is your when? What is required before you express thankfulness? What do you take for granted? When do you focus on that which you have while being thankful for what does not trouble you?
Breathe. Look around you. Take in all that you have, have had, and exist with. I suspect if you made a list you will not stop writing until tomorrow. A friend has challenged her readers to begin the day with simply writing 10 things you are thankful for before devotional time. The practice has been mine for several months now. Mindful. Quiet. Rememberings. The exercise has reminded me that too often the life pace is fast, the blurring of what we have to be thankful for unnoticed, and the need for mindful gratitude is daily. Are you aware of what you are thankful for?
