THE PROCESS OF GRATITUDE

Last November when I was wandering the aisles of the local Office Max (I had once found very cool desk accessories there) I came across a Gratitude Journal.  It was smallish, with a gray cover, the printing on which was gold and creamy white.  A whitish ribbon peeked out, letting me know I would always be able to find my proper page with just a flip of that ribbon.

My find might have been what some would call "A wink from the universe," as I had been thinking about gratitude quite often in 2015, but not really expressing...or examining it.  Last year, I had been part of a group meeting regularly with a Life Coach--by conference call.  Our coach opened each session by asking each of us to relate what we were grateful for that morning.  I was new to the group-coaching concept and not entirely sure it was my thing, then boom--every session I had to think of something for which I was grateful. Fortunately, I am grateful for my family, and that became my fall-back position.  I could always mention family, but that wasn't really helping me work with the whole "gratitude" process.  So, I was sure my newly purchased Gratitude Journal would take up the slack.

I sat down on the morning of December 1st and began:  "Today I am grateful for the quiet early morning reflection-time that I can carve out for myself nearly every day.  I begin with coffee and the current "Daily Guidepost" reading.  Then I move on to another book of my choice...right now it is "What's So Amazing About Grace" by Philip Yancey.  It deserves to be read several times over a lifespan.  Then I move to Unity Church's "Daily Word" message for the day.  Today it is "Pray for Others." Then I listen (lights dim) to their Meditation.  It's a wonderful start for any day."

Looking back, that wasn't bad for a first effort.  As I continue my review, I note that on December 4th, I was grateful to feel better than I had the day before.  Sometimes it's the small favors.  As Christmas began to close in, I find I was simply grateful for a new day and a fresh start.  On December 16th, I see that I was grateful for Best Buy's "Geek Squad," but on the very next day I was grateful to be learning gratitude.  And on and on it goes to this morning, when I expressed thanks for the peaceful feeling that surrounded my "Morning Time."  That isn't always the way it is, but I've learned enough to be grateful when it is.  Grateful enough to write:  "This morning I am just thankful to be."

As A.A. Milne noted:  "Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude."  I'm learning...