In Daily Life

In daily life we must see that it is gratefulness that makes us happy, 

not happiness that makes us grateful. 

Brother David Steindl-Rast 

This quote is in the header for this blog, and captures well what I believe to be true. I came across it years ago and have let it guide me ever since. Happiness, once an elusive pursuit, is now more a byproduct of the grateful living practices to which I am committed. 

This blog is now over 9 1/2 years strong. I am a more contented writer because I regularly give time to my heart and soul's passion, rather than waiting until everything else is done first. (That never happens!) 

And this mug is one I often use for my morning coffee. It reminds me of my sisters because several of us were together when I bought it out in Colorado, including my sister Mary Jo. She died in 2019. When healthy, she would have been up early today preparing a feast to share with others. 

I pause and notice the abundance I am surrounded by more frequently now. That beats what I used to do regularly--stay stuck in the perceived scarcity in my life, particularly of the emotional and spiritual kinds. Some days are diamonds, some are stones. Challenges still arise. But I find myself more able to accept what I cannot change and put my energies to what I can change: my own attitude and actions. 

Here are just a few things I can reflect on with gratefulness today:

*Outdoors . . . enjoying sunshine, milder temperatures, a walk with my husband, always entertaining squirrels, a short fire to burn some fallen branches, shooting some hoops at the local park, and doing a little dribbling and passing with our grandson

*Indoors . . . helping our grandson get on a Zoom call for school, making breakfast for my visiting mother-in-law and son home from college, reading a few pages from a book and dozing off in the recliner, giving myself permission to take a break from some of my usual household chores 

On this American holiday of Thanksgiving, I pause for the freedoms this great nation provides and I move forward to do my part to help preserve the abundance of my family, our community, state, nation, world, planet. 

It is a humble and grace-filled pause.