The Gifts We Receive
Whatever is given is a gift—even the most difficult experiences and traumatic events can be seen as Wake-Up calls, and therefore gifts. And the appropriate response to any gift is gratitude. In the depth of our heart, we can turn fear into courageous trust, agitation and confusion into stillness, isolation into a sense of belonging, alienation into love, and irrational reaction into Common Sense. The creative imagination of gratefulness will suggest to each one of us how to go about this task. - Oprah.com
I see many people post about difficult situations on Thankfulfor.com. They post about how things could be worse, finding the best in a terrible situation, how they learned from difficulties and about personal growth. I know firsthand how easy it is to be thankful for beautiful days, sunshine, health and great times with loved ones. I often forget to post about the challenges in my own life from day to day, but I should. Everything that comes into our lives has its purpose - even the things that don’t seem positive. The fact that we have a life right now, at this moment, could be considered as the basis for that gratitude, right?
This week when so many of us are knee-deep in holiday planning and events, take a moment and think about what you’re grateful for, beyond the easy ones. Here are some of my own today:
- I’m thankful for the challenges I face each day as I grow my businesses - they make me stretch and grow in new ways.
- I’m thankful for the people in my life who aren’t necessarily my biggest fans. They force me to look hard at myself and also serve to remind that the world doesn’t revolve around me.
- I’m thankful for the bills from all the utility companies that I received today because they make heat, power, television, phones and all of those good things possible and easy for me, and I’m particularly thankful that I can pay those bills.
- I’m thankful for the 9-10 hours in an airplane yesterday because I rarely have that much time to myself without interruptions and I was able to reflect on the past year and do some personal writing.
Now it’s your turn. What seemingly negative things in your life are you thankful for? It’s not easy, but sometimes when we really allow ourselves to look at those “darker” areas, we can find a spark of light. Please post it on the site and let us know.
Gift Box image by sparkieblues
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