An Attitude of Gratitude

Sometimes drumming up an attitude of gratitude can be difficult. Perhaps we think we have to feel really fabulous about everything. Maybe we are worried that if we find some gratitude that it excuses or takes away the importance of the things that we don't like or that do upset us.

Over the years I have found that an attitude of gratitude is something that I do for myself.  I want to feel happy while I am walking along this great adventure.  I want my days and nights to be filled with robust spontaneous smiles that show up across my face because I just fell in love with the world again...and again...and again.

One can read plenty of articles about gratitude. There are lots of videos on YouTube also. Yet I found that a big piece of these gratitude focused pieces deal with outcomes from gratitude, as in Law of Attraction and being accepted and liked more. These don't resonate for me. I don't want to "do" an attitude of gratitude. I want gratitude to be a vibration that radiates within me for the relief and joy that comes from experiencing the blessings that life offers me everyday.

An attitude of gratitude is a way to powerfully stay in the moment. In that moment one chooses to experience awe, wonder, hope, joy, and the raw, innocent intrigue that shakes us from projections into the future and suffering from the past.

Perhaps we can define gratitude as: That Which is Beautiful in This Very Moment.

The moment of this picture to the left was an incredible moment. This was from a summer party two years ago. At the party, my neighborhood buddies were all present. This has not happened in many, many years. I was so happy and so grateful at this party because these five men were the most important people in my life for many years growing up. We played soccer, baseball, football, kick the can, and many other childhood games together in the "field" in our neighborhood. I learned about myself and the wonder of consistent human friendships through my relationships with them as a group and as individuals.

When this picture was taken I was going through some major changes in my life. I was back at school and dealing with some serious empty nest syndrome. Here at this party, in the circle of these old friends, my gratitude was bursting. I was thrilled to have us all together at this party. Even reminiscing on the party and this picture I feel a surge of gratitude.This energy vibration flowing through my body heals my cells.

My daughters' good high school friend, Jack, is an Army Ranger and has had several trips to Afghanistan. This obviously started bringing some nervous, anxious, and projected sad thinking and energy into my body. I had a picture that Jack drew of me and him right after their high school graduation and I chose to put it on my refrigerator door. Every time I look at that picture I smile and have such gratitude for it and for the graduation party that he drew it to represent.

Last year his mother asked people to take their picture with a picture of Jack so she could send him a collection of us all to him overseas. I picked up the picture at their house and brought him with me to Nantucket, where both my daughters live. I laughed so hard bringing "Jack" to all sorts of places and I was overwhelmed with gratitude

as person after person happily agreed to hold the picture in all sorts of places. One night Meghan and I had Jack's picture to ourselves. Meggo (Jack's nickname for Meghan) made Jack a night cap, fed him popcorn, and shared soda and a movie with him. We tucked him in at night with such joy, laughter, and gratitude for the opportunity to be a part of this loving birthday surprise.

My gratitude for Jack in our lives resonates wonderful, happy, hopeful, and positive energy. THIS is how I want to experience my life, especially in response to the potential perception of something that could result in the opposite. My best hope for supporting Jack is by enveloping him in gratitude energy, not fear energy. I do the best for myself and for others when I am grateful. The radiance of gratitude is contagious!

Last fall two of my favorite high school friends and I went to a Cheap Trick concert at Hampton Beach in New Hampshire. We are all busy with our lives which involve single motherhood, divorce, intense healing issues, college essays, debt, and the usual highs and lows of living as an adult. We took time to be together, and to laugh as hard, if not harder, than we did back in the 70s and 80s when we first heard Cheap Trick and hung at at Hampton Beach.  I also put this picture on my refrigerator door to remind me of the resiliency of life, the ability to find joy, and the insane laughter that is possible for us humans on this planet.  

I love these women! I love that when we get together, no matter what is happening in our lives, we completely lose it for the entire time we are together. We know each other so well that we never miss an opportunity to pull a comment or an action that any of us do out into the forefront and turn it into a comedy routine. We never were the kind of friends that focused on the drama. We are present for each other, we listen to our life experiences, however we stay in our choice to have adventures of hi-jinx and fun together.

Life will serve us challenging moments and times when we get through by the skin of our teeth. Even during the most desperate moments, there is opportunity for gratitude; gratitude that we made it through, gratitude that we worked together with others, gratitude that we grew our competency muscles, and gratitude for the opportunity to experience life.

Caitlin is a yoga instructor on Nantucket who has been in an intense healing period for the past eight months. Here is her recent Face Book Post:
"This is the day I turn 37. Eight months ago I wasn't sure I'd see this day, so it feels like a big accomplishment. I certainly never thought I'd be celebrating this moment of my life in Morocco with (my yoga colleagues) . Today and every day, I am grateful for all the incredible generous support I've been extended by my family and friends on Nantucket and afar, by my yoga community and teachers, by my doctors and infusion nurses, by my sweet little boy and from my inspiring partner. Life is what we make it. Let us choose wisely, let us choose to be happy, let us choose to love big, to love steadfastly, and to stay open to the teachings in every challenge. Let us all choose grace."

I am grateful for Caitlin and her sharing of her very personal journey. I choose to focus on that which raises my vibration, which in turn offers to her, and to the world, the best me...the best I can resonate...the highest loving Spirit possible. 

May today be a First Day to Begin to love and adore the mundane. May we look at every person, every object, every experience in gratitude. May today be a First Day to Begin to prioritize our perspective to be one of Gratitude so soon enough, we default to an Attitude of Gratitude by which to experience and engage in life. There is nothing like it.