“Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.” ~Aesop
A friend of mine recently published a blog post on why she feels grateful about the life she leads. I enjoyed reading how her days are filled with joy and gratitude. Her accompanying photographs reveals the beauty that surrounds her, and I felt, for a brief moment, the light that emits from within her heart and soul.
I felt grateful.
“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” ~Willie Nelson
This week I learned of tragedies happening to some friends who live far away. Their pain was palpable as I read their pleas for prayer and good thoughts. I reflected on my life and my own daily struggles. Their pleas put my troubles into perspective.
I am grateful.
“To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant,
to enact gratitude is generous and noble,
but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.” ~ Johannes A. Gaertner
Black arrows on left show where boardwalk used to be before Hurricane Sandy. Black arrows on right show temporary walkway.
On Sunday I spent a magical day with my husband, as we call it in New Jersey, “down the shore.” The weather was perfect without a cloud in the sky. A gentle breeze blew, keeping the heat of the sun at bay. The Jersey shore is alive and well in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. The phrase “Jersey Strong” says it all, and we benefitted from that strength. We stretched out, side-by-side, on our little corner of the beach, talking and laughing and listening to the sound of the waves.
I was grateful.
“No one is as capable of gratitude as one who has escaped the kingdom of night.” ~Elie Wiesel, accepting Nobel Peace Prize (1986)
An Islamic group claimed responsibility for rocket fire in Israel and declared no Israeli town to be safe. Two small towns in Nigeria were victim to violent attacks by gunfire that resulted in at least 56 deaths. Violent clashes in Xinjiang (China) left 21 dead and two people were sentenced to death. These are a few of the leading stories in today’s news. Violence is everywhere. The world is a scary place. We no longer feel the comfort and safety we felt before the horrific events of 9/11. Today we are more cautious, knowing that violence happens on our own soil. These thoughts crawl in and out of my consciousness, and I am aware of the possibilities that surround me.
I steadfastly remain grateful.
“It is impossible to feel grateful and depressed in the same moment.” ~Naomi Williams, Body, Mind and Spirit
I was surprised, thrilled and deeply honored to have my first ever BlogHer post about attending BlogHer with a disability featured on the cover (which I understand is hallowed ground) of the BlogHer website. I wrote it not only for myself, but also for the disability community I speak to every day. They continue to inspire and empower me. I am ironically grateful for my diagnosis, because without it I would never have had a chance to meet the incredible people who have entered my life.
I will always be grateful.
“A noble person is mindful and thankful for the favors he receives from others.” ~The Buddha
Good and bad, decent and evil may enter into our lives at any given moment. These are the realities of our world. These are also the truths of aging.
I believe we all have two options. Yes, it really is that simple. We can choose from Column A or B.
My wise and beloved uncle once told me, “Life is for the living.” He told me to enjoy my life, drink it all in, and savor every pleasant moment. He said the world is a wondrous place, and it was up to me to live each day fully. He lived by his words, and I choose to do the same.
Which column will you choose?
This is absolutely GORGEOUS! And something I really needed to read today; thank you.
I love your attitude so much. I've been trying to foster my own attitude of Thankfulness and gratitude for a while now, and it's developed into an awesome Weekend-long blog hop, where I get to indulge and see everyone else's lists of Thankfuls. It helps a lot to end the week on such a positive note, and to see the development of the determination of spirit in myself and others to actively Seek Good, even (and especially) in challenging circumstances.
Thank you again for this post.
Nice post Cathy....and excellent reminders about the paradox of life. Even though we must accept that bad things do happen around the world, as you point out, we all of the choice of whether we will stay stuck in the hurt or fear, or choose something else. Or as an old friend of mine used to say, "if you're going through hell, don't stop and build a condo." ~Kathy
This is beautiful, Cathy. Thank you for... well... for, you know. It's so hard to choose Column B when overwhelmed by Column A. But yes, B is where I heartily choose to be... most days. xoxo
Cathy,
I love your blog because it's always so thoughtful. Really really thoughtful. And genuine. I'm grateful for your good work and our virtual friendship. Gratitude is a wonderful state of being...and it is a more natural state for some than others. I try to do it consciously, because that is more my nature. Lately, I have been incorporating a new twist to my morning meditations that I heard on an inspirational radio program. When I begin to meditate I close my eyes and start asking over and over..."what am I grateful for, what am I grateful for?" And the weirdest things start running through my head...big and small. And I'm grateful I have the capacity to note them all.
Thanks Cathy, I needed to read something like this today...in column b all the way!
Love this Cathy. My morning mantra, before the radio goes on, is to be thankful, to give thanks to that higher power. When I'm just not feeling it, I have to list 10 specific things. Even when things are bad, it still helps, still lifts my spirit and attitude. I'll be re-reading this blog for a long time, I think.
Thank you Cathy!
Dear Cathy, your positive outlook always inspires me. You write about an important lesson for all of us. It is so important to be thankful for what we have. I will try to remember this when life gets me down.
Cathy, I always come to your blog to read your inspirational posts. I usually never leave a comment because I just don't know what to say.
What do you do when your gratitude is over shadowed by your disability? What can I do to embrace what my life is today? It's been more than five years and I still struggle accepting my limitations.
Even though I know I need to move on.
Lovely pose, Cathy. It's so easy ( too easy) to get caught up in the everyday craziness of life and lose sight of what we have to be grateful for. We all need to slow down and get back in touch with that part of ourselves. Thanks for the reminder. I am full of column A but want to choose everything from column B all the time. Every day!
I've just found your Blog, via Lizzie of Considerings, and it gives me yet another thing to be grateful for 🙂
That there is this amazing community out there in the ether that, no matter where they are in the world, are connected by that act of gratitude is just so heart-warming for me 🙂
I loved the way you spoke of gratitude and, as a fellow sufferer, always try to find something to be grateful for every day 🙂
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