Faith Venture

“It is impossible to feel grateful and depressed in the same moment.”

I have lately found myself with deep feelings of gratitude lately. Not all decisions I made in my life were good. In fact, I’d hate to tally a score. But there are enough that I look at what might have been—and I am so grateful.

Gratitude is not a subject often enough here, I suppose. Wise people advise keeping a gratitude journal. I tried that once. Mostly it was repetitive. Nothing wrong with that. I strive for balance in life.

I’ve also seldom  been depressed. Even in a non-clinical sense. Problems? Sure. Wishing I could extricate myself from a situation? Oh, yes. But the emotion? Seldom, if ever.

Gratitude rests like a warm blanket surrounding you. You get used to it and forget to notice it. Until sometimes you become aware of a past situation and feel the warmth within and around.

And we pause and acknowledge deep gratitude. And in that warmth, how can we be depressed in the moment?

Some of us live in the future of want. It is a land of dissatisfaction. What we have is not good enough. We need more…stuff; better…things.

If we have no gratitude for what we have been given, how shall we know to have gratitude for that which we will receive in the future?

“My son says I’m in good shape for a man 73 years old,” said Bob in the fitness center to me yesterday. I replied, “Yes, my health may not be perfect, but I’m grateful for what I have.”

I try to live in the land of today. Grateful for what I have. If something good comes to me tomorrow, I’ll be grateful for that.

“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” Epictetus

Following on to yesterday’s thought about celebrating having enough. Let us ponder gratitude versus unfulfilled desire.

Explore in our lives where our wants exceed our ability to acquire them. What uneasiness we feel in our gut. Like a perpetually unsettled stomach. I had a friend as a youth whose phrase was “don’t get your bowels in an uproar.”

We look at what we have. We choose to compare to our neighbor and despair of having more than them. Or, we choose to look at what we have. We are grateful to have shelter from storms, a bed upon which to lie, a place to welcome family and friends.

I look around and cannot believe I have all this. I am blessed. Thank you Lord.

Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.

A.A. MIlne

Stop. 

Pause for a moment.

Consider gratitude. Ponder at the end of each day.

What has happened this week for which I am grateful?

Who has touched me for which I am grateful?

Where have I been that offered opportunities for which I am grateful?

When have I stopped to serve someone for which I am grateful for the opportunity and strength to serve?

It is Thanksgiving Day in America.

For all of you here, I wish you a happy day. Even if your crazy uncle is visiting for the day or your football team loses or you eat too much and feel ill.

We probably need more official days to remind us to pause for a bit and reflect upon our blessings and express gratitude for whatever we have and whoever is in our lives. Maybe make a list and stick it in your diary for remembrance every day.

Wherever you are, I thank you for reading. Many people read this who don’t live in this country. But you also can pause a moment during the day and offer gratitude for whatever you have or whomever you know.

Many people are grateful for “Black Friday”. It has almost turned into a global phenomenon, although Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November is an American holiday.

The grateful people, I imagine, are the business owners who depend upon Christmas present shopping (actually buying, not just shopping) to make their profits for the year. Don’t be cynical. I’ve been in business, and most of us rely on business for incomes.

But the ads began early. This morning I had emails from the most unlikely sources pushing Black Friday deals. Even my Website company!

I might suggest that you don’t instinctively just go online or to the big box retailer. Check out your locally owned shops for unique gifts. Or your local independent book seller for books and other supplies. You can find your local one if you don’t already know at Bookshop.

We can be grateful that we have the power and ability to make others grateful. Gratitude can spread just like love. It doesn’t diminish the more you use it.