A friend of mine recently posted a kind of challenge wherein one is supposed to list 10 points of gratitude. So, without allowing myself time to think, edit or censor, I just typed 10 things. Here is what came out:
1. The health of my children.
2. My beautiful home.
3. My husband.
4. Having enough.
5. My artistic abilities.
6. My own health.
7. Intelligent, creative people with whom I can engage.
8. Wildlife.
9. My sisters.
10. My parents.*
Interesting to do an exercise like this. It makes me realize the subliminal, subconscious feelings that lurk below the surface. It makes me see exactly how terrified I am all the time about my kids and how they might get sick or hurt. It makes me realize how grateful I am that, while perpetually broke, I honestly have enough.
This list also makes me realize that my life is very first world.
I am so lucky that I don't have a gratitude list that looks like this:
1. no murders in my town today
2. almost clean water
3. occasional access to electricity
4. shelter, however crude
5. there is sometimes peace between the wars
6. food
7. my family is still alive
... you get the picture.
So, officially, I am grateful that the biggest problems in my life are really, pretty small. And the thing I have to be grateful for, above all else, is that I was born in the part of the world where peace, clean water and healthy food are such a given that it doesn't cross our minds to be thankful for them.
*If I could add an eleventh it would be all the rest of my family, aside from the immediate members.
No comments:
Post a Comment