Sharing It Forward
Today I am grateful for the soft light of lamps in the early mornings and for those who make the ease of electricity possible in our homes and elsewhere.
I took the idea of sharing gratitude forward, from my most recent post, into my day yesterday. Just taking it with me helped me to be more present and aware of what I had to be grateful for. It also gave me opportunities to put gratitude in action.
Smiles, good mornings, a helping hand with a task, a thank you to a stranger who held a door were all part of my day. So were laughs shared with my department colleagues and chocolates shared by one of them too. And a conversation with a young woman pursuing her own career in school counseling reminding me of why I pursued it and what twenty years of experience have taught me.
A random song on the radio connected me with a dear friend who is often in my thoughts and prayers. A visit to the podiatrist gave me the chance to assist an elderly woman in a wheelchair. Later, as I drove away from the grocery store, I paused to wait for a woman to cross the parking lot in front of me. She was clearly in some pain and moving slowly.
Chance and choice both played a part in those exchanges. If I had been on my phone waiting at the doctor's office, I may have missed the woman in need. If I had been in a big hurry with my own agenda, I may have been frustrated to wait for a slow walker in a parking lot.
Instead, these moments brought clarity. Having working limbs so I could help someone who isn't fully ambulatory. A reason to pause and just breathe.
Living gratefully is so beneficial in so many ways. It starts with mindful presence and an increased awareness of what we can appreciate right here, right now. The practice is well worth the benefits.
I took the idea of sharing gratitude forward, from my most recent post, into my day yesterday. Just taking it with me helped me to be more present and aware of what I had to be grateful for. It also gave me opportunities to put gratitude in action.
Smiles, good mornings, a helping hand with a task, a thank you to a stranger who held a door were all part of my day. So were laughs shared with my department colleagues and chocolates shared by one of them too. And a conversation with a young woman pursuing her own career in school counseling reminding me of why I pursued it and what twenty years of experience have taught me.
A random song on the radio connected me with a dear friend who is often in my thoughts and prayers. A visit to the podiatrist gave me the chance to assist an elderly woman in a wheelchair. Later, as I drove away from the grocery store, I paused to wait for a woman to cross the parking lot in front of me. She was clearly in some pain and moving slowly.
Chance and choice both played a part in those exchanges. If I had been on my phone waiting at the doctor's office, I may have missed the woman in need. If I had been in a big hurry with my own agenda, I may have been frustrated to wait for a slow walker in a parking lot.
Instead, these moments brought clarity. Having working limbs so I could help someone who isn't fully ambulatory. A reason to pause and just breathe.
Living gratefully is so beneficial in so many ways. It starts with mindful presence and an increased awareness of what we can appreciate right here, right now. The practice is well worth the benefits.
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