“Piglet noticed that
even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of
Gratitude.” ― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh
“I would maintain that
thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled
by wonder.” - - G.K. Chesterton
I was recently at the zoo with a four-year old. Along the
Minnesota trail the animals were all readily viewable and active: the beaver
(who is hardly ever out), wild canines and cats (featuring a stunning lynx), and
black and brown bears only inches away (never mind the glass wall separating us). 
My preschool companion kept insisting on going to the next thing: not an
unusual tendency for that age, still I felt frustrated. I said, “What we have
right here is so good: Look! Enjoy this!”And almost immediately I realized that
I do the same thing. I think the next thing will be better, I don’t relish the
present moment, I forget to be thankful.
Lately I’ve encountered numerous situations laden with
frustration. Plans thwarted or changed, miscommunications, disgruntled peers, two-hours
on the phone with a bureaucratic org that accomplished little: the likes of
such things are just not pleasurable or preferable to me. Still, these
situations hold great invitation -- and don’t invitations consistently hint at something
good? I GET to practice stepping into the perspective of the other, accept “what
is,” and better yet, find any morsel for which to be grateful.
Some people grumble
that roses have thorns; I am grateful that thorns have roses.” ― Alphonse Karr
Though this article is from two years ago, there’s some grand reminders of research-backed benefits
of and practical suggestions for gratitude.
BENEFITS
“Cultivating an “attitude of gratitude” has
been linked to better health, sounder sleep, less anxiety
and depression, higher long-term satisfaction with life and kinder
behavior toward others, including romantic
partners. A new study shows that feeling grateful makes people less likely
to turn aggressive when provoked…”
“Gratitude is the
ability to experience life as a gift. It liberates us from the prison of
self-preoccupation.” ― John
Ortberg, When the
Game Is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box
SUGGESTIONS
You’ve likely heard some of this before (these from the ‘healthydividends’ article mentioned above), but I know I need to be often reminded,
so here goes:
“Start with
“gratitude lite.” That’s the term used by Robert A. Emmons, of the
University of California, Davis, for the technique used in his pioneering experiments he
conducted along with Michael E. McCullough of the University of Miami. They
instructed people to keep a journal listing five things for which
they felt grateful, like a friend’s generosity, something they’d
learned, a sunset they’d enjoyed.
The
gratitude journal was brief — just one sentence for each of the five things —
and done only once a week, but after two months there were significant effects.
Compared with a control group, the people keeping the gratitude journal were
more optimistic and felt happier. They reported fewer physical problems and
spent more time working out.
Try it on your
family.
No matter how dysfunctional your family, gratitude can still work, says Sonja Lyubomirsky of the University
of California, Riverside.
“Do
one small and unobtrusive thoughtful or generous thing for each member of your
family on Thanksgiving,” she advises. “Say thank you for every
thoughtful or kind gesture. Express your admiration for someone’s skills or
talents — wielding that kitchen knife so masterfully, for example. And truly
listen, even when your grandfather is boring you again with the same World War
II story.”
Contemplate a higher power. Religious individuals don’t necessarily act with more
gratitude in a specific situation, but thinking about religion can cause people
to feel and act more gratefully, as demonstrated in experiments by Jo-Ann Tsang
and colleagues at Baylor University. Other research shows that praying can
increase gratitude.. …Is that too much of a stretch? When all else fails, remember the Monty Python mantra of the Black Plague victim: “I’m not dead.” It’s all a matter of perspective.”
Perspective is huge. “See the invitations rather than the frustrations” may be my mantra for the next couple of months.
May you find all things good and well, and may you embrace a perspective of gratitude this month!
“Got no checkbooks, got no banks. Still I'd like to express my thanks - I've got the sun in the mornin' and the moon at night.” ― Irving Berlin
“If
the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.” ― Meister
Eckhart
“I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully
and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works…” - Psalm
139:14
“ThanksGiving is good but
ThanksLiving is better.” Matthew Henry
“To be
grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us - and He
has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every
moment of existence is a grace...
“Do
not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you
now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” ― Epicurus
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