Wednesday, November 9, 2011

No Regretro


I wanted to write a few words about gratitude today and ended up thinking more about my relative lack of that quality. Not that I never feel it, because I do––just not at the level (or with the frequency) my daily experience merits. It's true. Every time something traumatic happens in my life, the one thing I immediately realize is that I wasn't grateful enough for my circumstances as they existed before. Without fail, my appreciation for the status quo was out of sync with the quality and enormity of my blessings. In other words, I didn't realize how good I had it...until things got worse!

Needless to say, retroactive gratitude is a bust. Getting the best bang for your thankfulness buck means staying in the moment. Finding joy in the goodness of today is sweet. Grieving that lost goodness tomorrow? Not so much.

With that in mind, I submit the following list of things I am grateful for today, right now, this minute:

1. a Heavenly Father who listens to and leads me
2. a husband I would choose all over again
3. children who make me proud every day
4. adorable grandkids
5. extended family members and strong roots
6. enough close friends to fill my needs
7. enough really good friends to need me
8. the chance to serve a congregation of young adults
9. financial security
10. a comfortable, cozy home
11. beautiful, peaceful surroundings and 5 senses to enjoy them
12. good health for me and my loved ones (or good enough health)

I'll stop with an even dozen, but I could go on indefinitely. We are also blessed with spiritual gifts, and these enhance the quality of life immeasurably: intelligence, talents, curiosity, sense of humor, the ability to give and receive love...Again, I could go on forever.

This year, I will focus on being grateful every day and not in retrospect, enjoying life in full measure and mindfulness––from the small, steady things to the large, life-changing ones––complete with frequent stops to smell the roses (ever blooming) in between.

19 comments:

karen said...

I like your list! Good things for all of us to remember. I, too, am guilty of not remembering to be grateful all the time. Life gets so hectic it's easy to forget how good we have it. Thanks for the reminder!

Joyful Noise said...

Yeah, this is definitely one of my problems. I remember distinctly that four years ago I was very lonely and sad since none of my children or grandchildren had visited our home for the entire year. We had visited them, but no one had come to our home.

Five months later our daughter and her three children moved in....I quickly learned I should have definitely been enjoying the peace and quiet.

Now they are getting ready to move out and I am going to work REALLY hard at appreciating the peace and quiet...And the blessing that can be...

Unknown said...

I love this! I need to take a moment to be thankful today too.

Brian Miller said...

i think that is a great commitment for the year...and i like your list...being in the moment and being grateful, really like that part...very true....

Darlene said...

I surely can relate to all you said about being grateful today, for what I have today. I call it getting used to my new normal. Sometimes IT IS hard not to really miss my old normal, but hey! as long as I am alive and can enjoy my family, my friends and my home, I am truly blessed.

I am like you, I could go on and on with all of my blessings. All I have to do is look around and see all the people who are so much worse off than I am, and I am so very renewed with a sense of gratitude for my life the way it is right now.

Thanks for the great reminder. You just have the exact right words to describe exactly how I feel. I love you Sue.

CB said...

Your list is a good one.
I always feel like I have prayer of gratitude in my heart. I say alot of prayers throughout the day as I'm walking, driving, thinking and I try to be just as grateful in the same way!

Lisalulu said...

YES, was thinking the same thing.. praying for the house to sell etc, when what I really need to to was Thank Him for a house. for a job, for good health...etc. Thanks for the reminder!

Grandma Honey said...

I so hear you Sue.
Sometimes I'm accused of not being realistic...that I'm too happy. But I think with age we truly learn to be happy and appreciate the goodness in every moment. I didn't always get that when I was younger.

Myrna Foster said...

That's a great list! And I absolutely LOVE the picture at the top of your post. Whenever I'm feeling frustrated or sorry for myself, it's hard to see the things I'm grateful for, but really I have so much. I'm probably happier than I've ever been in my life.

BECKY said...

Thanks for the reminder and great list, Sue. I've been guilty of spending too much time worrying about some things, instead of being so grateful for the people in my life, and the "things" that I have.

Have a blessed day! said...

Oh Sue, I LOVE your list. Heck, your entire post is amazing!

Stacy said...

Thanks Sue for this. I've been feeling this for awhile now. I was talking about this on the way to work with Kyle today.

Thanks for the wisdom of the words today!

Donna Tagliaferri said...

I am so happy for you....retro gratitude is still gratitude....

Michelle said...

I'm working on being more deliberately, vocally (or in writing) grateful. Thanks for this post.

Jocelyn Christensen said...

and I am thankful for the soundtrack to your blog...because it always makes me happy!

Fiauna said...

Numbers 1, 2 and 3 are definitely on my short list!

Tonya said...

GREAT things to be thankful for...and so try about retrospect thankfulness. I need to work on my daily list as well.

Caroline said...

Those are all such wonderful things to be thankful for and I am thankful for a friend like you to give me this important reminder.

Sending love your way, Sue! :)

anitamombanita said...

I loved this. I just feel so much better - INSTANTLY - when I express my gratitude. So why is it so hard to do consistently?! I guess it's just like eating properly or exercising or going to bed on time. Right?