With the holiday of giving here, a lot of attention gets focused on gratitude. (YAY!)
Though seemingly some small thing, it actually can bring major changes. And recently I saw the effects firsthand.
I was visiting a friend at the hospital. She had just gone through a horrendous few days in the Emergency Room where she was sick as a dog. As she described her experience – from the crazy pain she felt in her abdomen (it was her appendix) to the crazy people she was bedded next to (Downtown NYC ER) – she expressed her gratitude for the whole thing. I looked at her in amazement, wondering WTF? She explained it’s been her practice to stay in the gratitude because it helps keep her perspective, and appreciate the little things — like the window with the partial view next to her hospital bed. It also enables her to realize how lucky she is in her life overall.
My friend + I
It was then she received my deepest respect. There she was — hooked up to an IV with sporadic keeling-over kind of pain, yet she was grateful. And it showed! She brightened the room with her light spirit by being a joy to all the nurses who came by to check her vitals. And she was great company during my visit! Despite her illness, she glowed.
What a reminder for me to get back to the gratitude, and stay there!
It’s just a law of the universe –when you’re feeling thankful, you elevate your energy to a higher vibe. This opens you up to receive more high vibes. Make sense?
My friend also told me how each evening she goes through a gratitude list with her kids. They talk about what happened in their days, and what they were thankful for. Such a sweet practice.
Years ago, I made up a song with my kids called THANK YOU (repeated several times). It began after receiving a check in the mail. We chanted the little ditty in the elevator, but since then have kind of forgotten about it. I think it’s time to bring this tune back into our rotation except not only for money we receive, but for all the goodness we are lucky to have.
Also, there’s this little book I recently read called, you guessed it – Gratitude. It’s written by neurologist Oliver Sacks after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Though definitely not a light read, it’s short (45 pages!), and provides a compelling point of view from his attitude of gratitude.
How do you stay in the gratitude?
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Elysha,
Wonderful post for today!! I will read the Gratitude book by Oliver Sacks.
Years ago we were financially able to give our child a few ” big ticket items” at the same time. Said child asked if she was spoiled. I asked, Do you feel like you deserve these things or do you feel lucky to have received them”? She replied, “Lucky”! I said, “That is what gratitude feels like”. Thank you for your story, Elysha. It reminded me that we are all able to refresh our minds to be continually grateful and to pay it forward.
I never thought of feeling lucky as feeling grateful, but now that you mention it- I see what you mean! Thank you, GGW. I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving.
Oh, your friend is wise. When I went through my divorce, I focused on gratitude. And I thought how crazy that was. But, it changed my energy completely. It allowed me to move forward. It is truly a life-changing practice.
Indeed she is wise.
It is a life changing practice and so easy to implement….I’m doing it right now! ?