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garysgirl1010 -> RE: Today I Feel "Gratitude Challenged...." (9/19/2007 2:03:49 AM)
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Excellent question, Wise Solomon, and just as good an answer. It made me think quite a lot and it made me remember a conversation I had with my father when I was a young bride and things just weren't going well financially. He reminded me that things could always be worse, and I insisted that I was aware of that but that I still wanted them to be better. Unflappable as always, he left me with that well known proverb, "I wept because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet."
Obviously no matter how much better we'd like for it to be, we are continually surrounded with things that by rights we ought to be grateful for: the fresh air we breathe, the beautiful sunrises and sunsets, the lovely grass being cut, the kind smile of a stranger, a cupboard with food, a warm bath... Intellectually we do recognize those things when we sit and compile a list of the "good things" in our lives.
Sometimes I confuse gratitude for relief and vice versa. I'm not sure the words aren't interchangeable actually--maybe a half empty/half full gratitude issue. For example, am I grateful that the hibiscus plant my mother gave me has weathered the miserably hot summer and is absolutely covered in beautiful yellow blooms OR am I relieved that my mother won't have an excuse to chide me about my inherent brown thumb? And, another, am I grateful that my wonderfully reliable car purrs like a kitten two full weeks after the manufacturer's warranty expired or am I relieved that I haven't as yet had to dip into the Christmas Stocking fund to have it repaired?
At other times I wonder if I should feel grateful or entitled. For example, should I be grateful that the bulb lit when I turned on the lamp or am I entitled to have light because I've purchased those long-life, planet-friendly spiral things and also paid my electric bill? And oddly enough, today I was absolutely stunned when I returned an almost-year-old telephone to the wireless store to complain about what appeared to be a short in it. I was told that it was still under warranty and they would happily replace it! What?? I didn't have to argue or beg or demand--you're just going to give me a new phone? WOW!
Obviously some things stick out more because they're unexpected: the "out of the blue" opportunity to share time with a loved one; learning of the healing of a sick friend, seeing a stunning rainbow -- and those are the things that tend to touch us emotionally. That special little something that stood out as having made our day or warmed our heart.
So, to opine in a sentence what I've taken a full page to do: I believe it's okay to be grateful intellectually for those things that we know are blessings in our lives and take some what for granted -- and also to be grateful emotionally when we are truly touched. Tonight I'll pray that all of you have a special blessing tomorrow that helps you to feel that emotional gratitude we all so deeply need!
And if any of you have managed to wade through these ramblings, I'll be surprised (and grateful)!! [:D]
Love to all,
Lolly
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