Friday April 7, 2023 (Journal Entry)
”This is a wonderful day. I have never seen this one before.” -Maya Angelou
If you are going to practice gratitude each day, that is a very good way to start. It’s hard to argue with this notion, whether or not you suffer memory loss… (I suppose that’s an attempt at humor…)
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about gratitude. It’s time to admit I haven’t taken enough opportunity throughout my life to sufficiently recognize the many people and reasons I have to be grateful. I intend to change that. I’m going to take time each day to appreciate at least one of the many reasons I have to be grateful. Here is an assortment of reasons, by no means an exhaustive list, but a list that I think will get me started on the right foot…
Gratitude for my health
Having health to enjoy the day. Having health to remember my experiences. Having health to exercise. Having health to pursue my dreams.
Gratitude for the people in my life
Having that special someone. Having wonderful children. Having people to admire. Having people that care about me. Having a cat that cares about me, even when he’s not hungry. (That last one could be wishful thinking…)
Gratitude for my surroundings
Having a home. Admiring the changes brought by the seasons. Enjoying the fresh air outside. Basking in the smell of coffee in the morning.
Gratitude for my self
Taking time to enjoy who I am. Taking time to learn something new. Taking time to solve a problem. Taking time to create something beautiful (no matter how small or trivial). Attempting to building a legacy. Reminding myself that others matter, even if they don’t care what I think.
Of course this is not an exhaustive list. The important thing to remember is that expressing gratitude feels good, it can also go a long way towards preserving our health and maybe, just maybe, it can be healing as well. No one has been able to show that it hurts you, so there’s no real reason not to practice it. There can only be benefits.