See our Privacy Policy
Gratefulness
I am not only grateful for “good” experiences but also for the “bad” ones too, because it is these experiences that bless us with wisdom.
Yesterday, my cat kept coming up to the couch to cuddle with me and sleep next to me. Even when I would squirm to change positions, he would move too so he could stay with me. He is truly a source of unconditional love!
Being aware of the mystery and complexity of everything adds delight to my life. To think that I am made of stardust, that subatomic particles can influence each other at seemingly infinite distances without any time passing, that people mysteriously seem to have precognitive awareness despite this seeming to contradict the Standard Model of physics, that people have accurate veridical perceptions during near-death experiences, and that a whole variety of other wonders and mysteries exist out...
Being aware of the mystery and complexity of everything adds delight to my life. To think that I am made of stardust, that subatomic particles can influence each other at seemingly infinite distances without any time passing, that people mysteriously seem to have precognitive awareness despite this seeming to contradict the Standard Model of physics, that people have accurate veridical perceptions during near-death experiences, and that a whole variety of other wonders and mysteries exist out in the universe.
In the garden of life, the weeds have taught me that suffering can lead to wisdom and that when things don’t go perfectly, we can appreciate the times when things have gone well and look forward to the future with the hope that things will go well again.
When I look with fresh eyes, I begin to see how complex and mysterious everything is. For instance, if I look at a tree with fresh eyes, I begin to wonder at how life came to be and to marvel at how the processes within small cells and DNA end up creating such a large wonder. Or when I look at light with fresh eyes, I begin to marvel that light is the same thing as matter, with the exception that matter, at the quantum level, is basically just light that is frozen. Pretty much anything I can ...
When I look with fresh eyes, I begin to see how complex and mysterious everything is. For instance, if I look at a tree with fresh eyes, I begin to wonder at how life came to be and to marvel at how the processes within small cells and DNA end up creating such a large wonder. Or when I look at light with fresh eyes, I begin to marvel that light is the same thing as matter, with the exception that matter, at the quantum level, is basically just light that is frozen. Pretty much anything I can think of has some level of mysteriousness and complexity to it that becomes obvious when I look with fresh eyes.
People at the middle school I have been substituting at have been very kind to me, often coming into the classroom to make sure everything is okay and kids are behaving reasonably well. I never expected to get as much support as I have from the school.
The most important thing in this moment is the fact that I am wide awake after a nice nap in the car on the way home from dog training.
I can make time and space for the gift of silence by taking some quiet time to read before I go to bed.
My eyes are allowing me to see the bright sunshine lighting up the house, as well as the blue sky and the beautiful tree outside my window.
I find playfulness and adventure in my quest for ever-increasing knowledge and wisdom. It’s like an adventure of searching for the deep secrets of the universe.
When I let go of ideas about how life should be, I recognize that, even if some things are outside of my control, I can still find ways to be happy despite things not always going “my way.”
I can better nurture the people I treasure by showing care and compassion for all the students I encounter in my new substituting job. I can better nurture my knowledge (a thing I treasure) by remembering to use every moment in life as an opportunity to learn something new and interesting.
Waking up grateful gives me energy to complete the tasks and activities I am to do in a given day.
I’ve been on bighistoryproject.com and have been educating myself on the history of the universe from the Big Bang to the present, and at every point in my learning, I feel a sense of wonder at how the universe gradually became just a little more complex over long periods of time until it eventually led to the diversity of life we see today.
Right now, I am caring for myself by committing to running everyday. I am showing care for others right now by searching for temporary part-time employment so my parents are not burdened by my expenses.
When I feel apprehensive about the future, it helps to remind myself that, even if I would like to know my future, it is okay to not know what my future holds for now because I still have a lot of time to decide what I want to do. The “hurry up and figure it out” voice in my head is just harsh commentary that my own head has constructed, not a rational one.
One time, I began having a small panic attack in a restaurant, and my friend asked me if I was okay. It was a small act, but I never forgot it because it was just nice to know that somebody cared.
The hardest times in my life have given me wisdom, compassion, and resilience.
Right now, I am learning to let go of the need for certainty about my career path. I’m only 25, and it’s okay if I don’t have it all figured out right now.
1. Future Memory by PMH Atwater 2. Mystery Teachings from the Living Earth by John Michael Greer 3. The Self Does Not Die: Verified Paranormal Phenomena from Near Death Experiences by Titus Rivas, et al. 4. Evidence of the Afterlife: The Science of Near-Death Experiences by Jeffrey Long and Paul Perry 5. 10 Life-Changing Lessons from Heaven by Jeff Janssen 6. Awakenings from the Light: 12 Life Lessons from a Near-Death Experience by Nancy Rynes 7. What if t...
1. Future Memory by PMH Atwater 2. Mystery Teachings from the Living Earth by John Michael Greer 3. The Self Does Not Die: Verified Paranormal Phenomena from Near Death Experiences by Titus Rivas, et al. 4. Evidence of the Afterlife: The Science of Near-Death Experiences by Jeffrey Long and Paul Perry 5. 10 Life-Changing Lessons from Heaven by Jeff Janssen 6. Awakenings from the Light: 12 Life Lessons from a Near-Death Experience by Nancy Rynes 7. What if this is Heaven?: How Our Cultural Myths Prevent Us from Experiencing Heaven on Earth 8. The Gospel of John 9. The Theology of the Gospel of John by D. Moody Smith 10. The Gospels and Acts: Fortress Commentary on the Bible by Margaret Aymer, et al.
1. The lazy person works twice as hard. 2. If you want to be happier despite the challenges in life, learn to reframe your thoughts about those challenges. 3. If a person comes to you with a minor challenge in a pastoral care situation, listen to them, ask them what they feel their options are, and don’t try to tell them what to do. If they come to you with a crisis, then advice-giving may be warranted. 4. If you try to be forgiving of others, they will generally recip...
1. The lazy person works twice as hard. 2. If you want to be happier despite the challenges in life, learn to reframe your thoughts about those challenges. 3. If a person comes to you with a minor challenge in a pastoral care situation, listen to them, ask them what they feel their options are, and don’t try to tell them what to do. If they come to you with a crisis, then advice-giving may be warranted. 4. If you try to be forgiving of others, they will generally reciprocate and be lenient when you make a mistake. 5. Even if you believe in a soul, that is not a good reason to devalue the body, especially when ideologies that devalue the body have been used to commit all kinds of atrocities against marginalized people.
Stay connected to the community by adding people to your list.
This site is brought to you by A Network for Grateful Living, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. All donations are fully tax deductible in the U.S.A.
© 2000 - 2022, A Network for Grateful Living
Website by Briteweb
