Yesterday evening, my husband and I took our young grand-daughter, along with our daughter (her Mom) to a new playground. At two years old, she was in ‘AWE’ of everything at this playground, and my daughter was in ‘AWE’ of the pinks and the oranges in the sky, as the sun was setting during our time at this playground.

I am in ‘AWE’ of my family, along with other families,
appreciating colorful playgrounds and colorful sunsets.

I learned that ‘moments of awe’ are in my community as well as in a common event, as God’s presence is with us, wherever we are.

Gratefulness doesn’t always change my situation but it does change my attitude and viewpoint. Gratefulness helps me to see things in a positive way and to value my life situation. I have noticed by being grateful, it opens the way to a better way of life.

For example, I was grateful for living in a mobile home park, despite it not being the best situation for me. Then, in a miraculous way, I was able to move into a nice home in a quiet neighborhood. Gratefulness isn’t about accepting the negativity but appreciating the positivity (even in a difficult and negative environment) which opens the way for God’s guidance, wisdom and lovingkindness.

I am trying to move but the paperwork is all in the hands (and in the office) of the lender. This company is doing their best with ‘creative financing’ which my situation requires. It’s Friday evening now and there is nothing I can do to move this process forward. So, I am open to relaxing, to be at peace with this ‘wait’ and to trust it is God’s timing and Divinely inspired. This weekend is a moment of rest, as I will need to be rejuvenated before moving!

My contribution to the world is not to do something and that is: not to litter.

My parents taught my siblings and me not to litter, by their own example. They were not environmentalists, just an ordinary, middle class couple but they cared about nature.

I now have made a commitment to pick up one piece of litter per day, in my local parks and neighborhood, on average. That doesn’t seem much but if everyone stopped littering and then, picked up one piece of litter, that is about 7-8 billion pieces of litter picked up, throughout the world.

I try to pass on the example of my parents in my contribution to my community by not littering.

After leaving (with her Mom) a disruptive and difficult home in which her Dad was abusive towards her Mom, (my daughter) my 2 year old grand-daughter’s favorite word now is: HAPPY! She is now in a safe and happy home in which they are both healing. My extraordinary gift is an answer to my many prayers and many lighted candles on this website, Gratefulness. My gift is seeing my daughter find her own strength and discover her own spiritual pathway and hearing my young granddaughter, with a big smile on her face say: HAPPY!

I am writing a journal for my grand-daughter, which I started before she was born. It’s not daily but when ever I am inspired or when I have time to write to her, for her to read in her future. It’s a journal about my spiritual journey for her to reflect and ponder on her own spiritual path and it’s also about her life, things she does and say, so that she can know her early life, (she is only 2 years old) reflected through me, her Granny. I would like her to have an opportunity to know my personal faith and my spiritual insights, so that it can be a foundation for her future. A sense of grounding, or spiritual roots, so to speak, so that she can use her Granny’s spiritual legacy to better fly on her own spiritual wings,

My parents taught me and my siblings, as well as by their own example, NOT to litter.

Now I am committed to picking up at least one piece of litter per day (on average), it doesn’t seem much and as you expressed, it seems like a small thing, but if everyone in the world stopped littering and and then, if just half the population of the world each picked up one piece of litter, that is over 3 billion pieces of litter picked up.

It really doesn’t take much to pick up a piece of litter on a walk in a park and yet, it is those small things that can make a positive difference in our world.

My family and I volunteered to serve lunch to the homeless at a downtown park in a large city. After all the homeless who were lined up and went along the long tables to be served their lunch, one of the volunteers got in the back of the line and the other volunteers served him. We found out that he was a homeless man who was so grateful for this daily meal that he asked if he could volunteer. If a homeless man is willing to serve others first, we can all do something to help others as well.

There are charities that clean up ocean litter that I have given a donation or purchased a bracelet to help pay for their efforts in their ocean cleanup. If everyone in the world stopped littering and then, even if just half the population of the world each picked up just one piece of litter, that would be more than 3 billion pieces of litter picked up from around this world. If only people could grasp that this beautiful planet is our home and home for others, including the endangered species.