November is the month of Thanksgiving and a time to reflect upon the gratitude of life and all that we have been given.
Gratitude itself is the mark of a humble heart. We love to be around those who are grateful; they have an innate ability of brightening the world around them. They make others feel better about themselves and are often more humble, more joyful, more likable.
We are all much happier in the presence of a grateful and loving soul. Where there is appreciation, there is courtesy and there is concern for the rights and property of others. I believe that many people are unhappy because they have not learned to be grateful. Some carry the burdens of bitterness and resentfulness while other pass their days suffering a deep sadness they cannot define. There are some who are unhappy because life didn’t happen to turn out the way they thought it would.
We are all much happier in the presence of a grateful and loving soul. Where there is appreciation, there is courtesy and there is concern for the rights and property of others. I believe that many people are unhappy because they have not learned to be grateful. Some carry the burdens of bitterness and resentfulness while other pass their days suffering a deep sadness they cannot define. There are some who are unhappy because life didn’t happen to turn out the way they thought it would.
“If only I had money,” some might say to themselves, “then I could be happy.”
“If only I were better-looking.”
“If only I were smarter.”
“If only I had a new car, a college degree, a job, a wife, hair that wasn’t so frizzy.”
If we look around us, there are a thousand reasons to be happy, and it’s irresponsible to blame our unhappiness on the things we lack in life. The problem is, the more we focus on the things we don’t have, the more unhappy and more resentful we become.
Comedian, Jim Carrey, grew up in extreme poverty. Often he has shared stories of living in his car, being hungry and having only a few coins in his pocket. After making his millions as a comedian/actor he said, "I hope everyone can get rich and famous, and will have everything they ever dreamed of, so they will know that it's not the answer."
Parents who teach their children the virtue of gratitude, reap the rewards for their efforts a hundred fold. Gratitude can produce the results of happiness and peace, and it can assist in easing the heavy burdens in a challenging life.
Parents who teach their children the virtue of gratitude, reap the rewards for their efforts a hundred fold. Gratitude can produce the results of happiness and peace, and it can assist in easing the heavy burdens in a challenging life.
You cannot predict happiness by the amount of money, fame, or power a person has. External conditions do not necessarily make a person happy. My family has had the opportunity to travel and live in some of the poorest countries around the world. They found that despite the abject poverty, the people are very happy. The fact is that the external things so valued by the world are often the cause of a great deal of misery. Things do not provide happiness, people do.
"Gratitude turns a meal into a feast and drudgery into delight. Gratitude softens our grief and heightens our pleasure. It turns the simple and common into the memorable and transcendent. It forges bonds of love and fosters loyalty and admiration." Joseph B. Wirthlin.
The power of gratitude is immense. To be grateful is to recognize the love of God in everything He has given us, and He has given us virtually everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love. This November, look for the silver lining in your life and you will find it. by Linda Sumner Urza: onefineday11.blog spot.com
