Close
Close

Receive “Word for the Day” each day in your inbox

See our Privacy Policy

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Menu Gratefulness Donate
Daily Question, March 2

What have I received from my ancestors?

  • Tahsin Tabassum

    selfless acts and spreading love

  • Elizabeth M Jones

    My fears. I want to let my fears go into the wind and I can see this in my mind’s eye. I can see God touching the ball of fear like a hand touching a Dandelion and the ball of fear splitting open and drifting away in the wind. Fear of Coronavirus, fear of getting old and sickly,, fear of not being able to walk, fear of losing my husband, fear of loneliness, fear of not being good enough, fear of attacks by colleagues, students, parents … all those fears drifting away.

    • Randy Clere
      I'm thinking "fear" has become a great bugaboo for many... fear like procrastination is the thief of time. If ya were not fearing this or that, "what would you be doing"? Fear is the most useful barometer for how much we embody ourselves and how much we trust. It only becomes a problem when we lose touch with presence in the moment... One of the best ways to allow fear to settle (settle, because it is going nowhere) is being mindful and taking action... "getting old, dying, losing a spouse"... t...

      I’m thinking “fear” has become a great bugaboo for many… fear like procrastination is the thief of time. If ya were not fearing this or that, “what would you be doing”? Fear is the most useful barometer for how much we embody ourselves and how much we trust. It only becomes a problem when we lose touch with presence in the moment… One of the best ways to allow fear to settle (settle, because it is going nowhere) is being mindful and taking action… “getting old, dying, losing a spouse”… these are things we know… these are TRUTHS… if you occupy the human form, you will drop it someday, if you occupy the human form every emotion that you are capable of expressing will visit you at some point in your life. Fear of “not being good enough (how would you know if you were not?) fear of loneliness (how can you be lonely if you are present to yourself?), fear of attacks by whomever… those are hallucinations of the mind, that you can choose to listen to or not… If you were not conjuring these things up, what more interesting things could you pay attention to?? We are SO curious as humanoids, I find WE fascinating!!! Blessings BE!!!

      Read More
  • Malag

    Countless, too many to list. I’ll pick on one: a sense of humour and ability to give others a chuckle.

  • reality

    An inconceivable amount, continually. A couple example, from my Father’s side, and Finns, an inate ability to be a pathfinder; in my case, for humanity to exist- if it be life and Earth first, that is. On my Mom’s, and Italians, a sense of artistic perpective that is all encompassing, the art of life evolving, if you’ll allow or won’t ? reality

  • jessicamomberg

    I am thankful that I received such a deep Austrian heritage from my grandparents.

  • Pat

    My Catholic faith, my love of nature, my connection to and value of community and the importance of community service

  • Jody Fritz Frings

    I received a marvelous sense of humor from one parent, and the importance of being nice from the other. They both gave me a strong sense of self by loving me & being proud of me no matter what. I have taken these gifts into a wonderful life, grateful for it all!

  • Debra

    Perhaps a feisty spirit with a strong work ethic and sense of humor to boot.

  • GCharlotte

    I received from my ancestors wisdom ahead of thrift.

  • Ose
    They passed on to me the thread of life, the gift of sorts which allows experiencing all this, equally the beauty and the difficulties. They passed on to me all they were able to offer, which is a huge lot. Because of them, I am. They made possible that I am allowed to live where I live and how, in an area without war, with abundance of healthy food and water, access to education, work, even able to be free for spiritual work, as all basic needs are comparatively easily covered. I am blessed wit...

    They passed on to me the thread of life, the gift of sorts which allows experiencing all this, equally the beauty and the difficulties. They passed on to me all they were able to offer, which is a huge lot. Because of them, I am. They made possible that I am allowed to live where I live and how, in an area without war, with abundance of healthy food and water, access to education, work, even able to be free for spiritual work, as all basic needs are comparatively easily covered. I am blessed with all this. We are blessed to be alive, having the privilege to be there for others and taking care of all we encounter. Blessings to all of you who share and visit here, and beyond. ?

    Read More
  • To tell the truth, it is with many tears in my eyes that right today I daresay my proud for my Italian origin. I love my country and its infinite opportunities for improvement, I love poetry, art, the typical sense of hilarity, good food, good coffee, a warm sea, warm mountains, warmth, creativity ... what else ? I am grateful to my family in general, the ability to recover, the strong interconnection, the pleasant physical appearance, the intelligence, the perspicacity ... the basic goodness i...

    To tell the truth, it is with many tears in my eyes that right today I daresay my proud for my Italian origin. I love my country and its infinite opportunities for improvement, I love poetry, art, the typical sense of hilarity, good food, good coffee, a warm sea, warm mountains, warmth, creativity … what else ?
    I am grateful to my family in general, the ability to recover, the strong interconnection, the pleasant physical appearance, the intelligence, the perspicacity … the basic goodness in the spirit, which naturally leads to consider the good after all. I know there are also dark aspects, but I am aware and therefore I don’t want to talk about it. After all, I’m working to get rid of these dark valleys and I’m at a good point.

    Read More
    • Palm

      Thank you, dear Anna! For naming all the wonderful aspects of a culture we share ❤️ I am so happy about your pride, in the good sense of it. I think it is much needed. I often find people there who think it is better somewhere else… I wish they could hear you. Blessings, dear friend

  • Pilgrim

    From my Celtic ancestors, I received that particular sense of spirituality, love of the land, the history, story and myth, music, family.

  • Elizabeth M Jones

    I have inherited great faith in God from my ancestors. I saw my father pray many, many times in my life. MY father’s prayers saved me.

  • Hot Sauce

    From my ancestors, I have received many of my genetic personality traits, my Judeo-Christian upbringing, the traditions of American holidays, and the cultural values that I hold in common with most Western people.

  • Antoinette

    I have received everything from my ancestors because I am their continuation. I am only made up of non- me elements.

  • Mica

    Many good things through their genes. My latest realization concerns unfortunate behaviors I’ve been blaming on my upbringing and my poor mother. But my daughter loved my mother, and so I realize I must take responsibility for whatever I do now, and I can no longer blame anything or anyone from my childhood. It’s liberating, to need to find new understandings for my behaviors, and ways to change these behaviors.

  • TeriB

    Wonderful family traditions that have been passed on through the ages. Italian traditions such as the Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve followed by attending midnight mass. Making Easter Bread (Pane di Pasqua) to symbolize the crown of thorns worn by Jesus and then followed by homemade pasta that hangs in the kitchen for days to dry. Fantastic Sunday dinners filled with family, love and laughter. The love and importance of family.

    • Hi TeriB I am italian, too, and I live in Italy! I don’t know the tradition of Seven Fishes, I am so curious! I am with you in thinking of family traditions!?

  • Katrina

    Connection and a sense that I belong

  • Trish

    My ancestors were hard workers with a tremendous work ethic. This was instilled in me from a wee age. Coupled with work was the ability to see lightness & humor in life, despite the difficulties and darkness. There are times when I get bogged down by the work ethic (it can be heavy) & I’m reminded that there’s room for me to grow into more lightness.

  • Dusty Su
    Ooh, more than I ever could have bargained on. I was adopted as a newborn and only last year through DNA testing, the uncovering of records, and contact with my biological family did I begin to know what I’d inherited from my ancestors. Good health predisposition, a creative stubborn mind, and also some challenges. In some cases, I was almost identical, especially in appearance, tenacity, and a great sense of daring and adventure, bohemianism, altruism, and yet a deep pragmatism. I also found...

    Ooh, more than I ever could have bargained on. I was adopted as a newborn and only last year through DNA testing, the uncovering of records, and contact with my biological family did I begin to know what I’d inherited from my ancestors. Good health predisposition, a creative stubborn mind, and also some challenges. In some cases, I was almost identical, especially in appearance, tenacity, and a great sense of daring and adventure, bohemianism, altruism, and yet a deep pragmatism. I also found what I had thankfully escaped through adoption. Mental illness, addiction, suicides, instability, and rejection to name a few. Gaining these previously unknown pieces in a very sparse jigsaw puzzle has been so helpful. It is clearer what came from my biological family, what was nurtured through my adoptive family and their lineage, as well as my personal choices and experiences. Most of my life I believed I belonged to no one and identified with no particular race, ilk, or tribe, instead I felt a empathetic connection to humanity as a whole. I loved that as I carried no ancestral crimes or trauma and often told my daughter it all starts with us as to how we relate to the world. Today, I understand, with the newly incorporated picture of my background, that no matter what hand I was dealt in life, be it a good one, a challenging one, a multifaceted one, it’s what I do with it/them that makes all the difference. With that said, I am truly humbled for all that I’ve been gifted genetically, environmentally, through choice and attitude, and how they have served me so well. It certainly has been an adventure to date.

    Read More
    • reality

      Wow, great out and insights, thanks, and for all you do. The space by which one can seek, if not search, their truer, more real relatives, relations; betwixt Heaven and Earth 🙂 reality

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.

DONATE https://gratefulness.org/content/uploads/2015/03/GX-Gold-Participant-L.png

© 2000 - 2021, A Network for Grateful Living

Website by Briteweb

We are delighted to announce the release of Kristi Nelson’s book Wake Up Grateful

0

Your Cart