Staying Power
Today I am grateful for a cool and cloudy day yesterday-a nice prelude to fall. It included a pleasant outdoor service and potluck with our church congregation, a bike ride with my son and husband, and a lovely and much-needed nap.
I am also grateful for my sister Aileen and her writing talents.
Following is a poem written by her, which she titled Poem One.
will be
day of gratitude
will glide blissfully
buoyed by
transformative power
of giving thanks.
Will appreciate everything
including chores
as a gift
and opportunity.
And then
four seconds later
I forget
that it’s all
a blessing
and my brand-new
gratitude ship
sinks faster
than Titanic.
She says it so well. This gratitude practice can be downright challenging. Daily work is needed to provide staying power for the thankful contemplation that helps us see ourselves and our surrounding world in a more positive frame. My default mode for so many years was negativity and self-pity. I had to change my default, and it took time. Some days I can do no better than "act as if" I am grateful. Some days, I may just be going through the motions.
But you know what? That's okay. The genuine gratitude returns, usually with a fuller force, just to remind me of it's power. Experience is the best teacher. It has shown me that if I ride out the "act as if" days, that sunken ship springs back to the surface and sails on.
Don't give up. Be persistent and diligent.
I am also grateful for my sister Aileen and her writing talents.
Following is a poem written by her, which she titled Poem One.
Poem One
Decide today will be
day of gratitude
will glide blissfully
buoyed by
transformative power
of giving thanks.
Will appreciate everything
including chores
as a gift
and opportunity.
And then
four seconds later
I forget
that it’s all
a blessing
and my brand-new
gratitude ship
sinks faster
than Titanic.
She says it so well. This gratitude practice can be downright challenging. Daily work is needed to provide staying power for the thankful contemplation that helps us see ourselves and our surrounding world in a more positive frame. My default mode for so many years was negativity and self-pity. I had to change my default, and it took time. Some days I can do no better than "act as if" I am grateful. Some days, I may just be going through the motions.
But you know what? That's okay. The genuine gratitude returns, usually with a fuller force, just to remind me of it's power. Experience is the best teacher. It has shown me that if I ride out the "act as if" days, that sunken ship springs back to the surface and sails on.
Don't give up. Be persistent and diligent.
Comments
Post a Comment