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Daily Question, December 23

Who inspires me to live more gratefully? How?

  • KC

    I recently lost a cousin to cancer. She was in her mid-50’s, healthy, vibrant, fully expressed, alive with much to live for. She had about six months from diagnosis to when she died. She and her long-time partner got married a few months ago, and did a short honeymoon in another province.

    She, her mom, sister, husband and extended family are very much an inspiration to live more gratefully and fully …

  • Ose

    You all here! A huge Thank You to the Gratefulness-team for your precious and warhmhearted work you offer for all of us. Merry Christmas to all! ❤❤❤

  • Anonymous
    I love to watch children, even when they have a tantrum, it is so darn honest. I have a passion for all animals, they just live and do what they do. I have a sweetness for our elderly seniors, they are dear to me. I spent and hour helping an elderly woman pick out a birthday card for her 86 year old boyfriend. Lots of silliness and giggling going on and we were strangers. Or doing volunteer work and playing cribbage with a kindly gentleman spending his first Christmas without his wife. List...

    I love to watch children, even when they have a tantrum, it is so darn honest. I have a passion for all animals, they just live and do what they do.

    I have a sweetness for our elderly seniors, they are dear to me. I spent and hour helping an elderly woman pick out a birthday card for her 86 year old boyfriend. Lots of silliness and giggling going on and we were strangers.

    Or doing volunteer work and playing cribbage with a kindly gentleman spending his first Christmas without his wife. Listening to him share about her brought warmth and a gentleness to my heart.

    All everyday people living an ordinary life, witnessing a small part of their day as I live mine, inspire me to live gratefully and know I am a part of.

    Read More
  • Don Jones

    Like others here, my little Kelpie dog. If something annoys her, she just shakes it off and it is gone. I Love the way she welcomes me home each day – joyful and loving. I love the way she tells me what she wants – a Kelpie-Jedi mind control power. I love the way she likes to be nearby, quietly just being present, particularly when my thoughts turn cold. She is such a joy!

  • mam_gigi

    My Great-Aunt Sandra is someone who inspires me to be more grateful and resilient. She raised her children on her own after being widowed at a young age, she became blind with age, and yet she displays a positive attitude. She is so grateful for her family and confident in herself. I feel if she could endure and come out the other side so happy, then I could too.

  • Linda

    Every morning as I enter this site I am inspired, by what you all write and the wisdom that comes from your years of experience. I now find myself saying how grateful I am throughout the day, for a home to live in, heat, food, good health and friends and family.

  • Marnie Jackson

    A speaker who once spoke at my school – who had a lived variety of experiences – and was profoundly grateful for everything in his life. It was inspiring to watch him navigate his struggles and use gratefulness to understand the gifts he was given..
    This website allows me to have a daily gratitude practice so that I can remember the blessings and gifts that I have in my life.

  • Hermann-Josef
    Lena, my handicapped daughter and many of her friends, who have a handicap too, inspire me very often. They almost never complain. It is so easy to make them smile and show their love. They are angels, giving us the chance to Serve and stay on the ground. These people are a big treasure. Also mother earth , who is enduring us day by day. As human beings, we all went through so much sorrow and suffering. I have great respect of each person. And i am gratefull if someone can open his heart or m...

    Lena, my handicapped daughter and many of her friends, who have a handicap too, inspire me very often. They almost never complain. It is so easy to make them smile and show their love. They are angels, giving us the chance to Serve and stay on the ground. These people are a big treasure. Also mother earth , who is enduring us day by day.
    As human beings, we all went through so much sorrow and suffering. I have great respect of each person. And i am gratefull if someone can open his heart or makes me open my heart. . .

    Read More
    • MemoPC
      I too have a daughter with IDD. Even with her challenges she is a joy and loves a party - basically getting all the family together. We had a gingerbread “party” with the grandkids and a couple weeks ago. She helped pass out a few Christmas related gifts. When everyone was leaving she looked a bit solemn. The next morning she was saying we should put up our poinsettia tablecloth. I realize she thought the gingerbread event was Christmas. All she had gotten was a little gnome ornament ...

      I too have a daughter with IDD. Even with her challenges she is a joy and loves a party – basically getting all the family together. We had a gingerbread “party” with the grandkids and a couple weeks ago. She helped pass out a few Christmas
      related gifts. When everyone was leaving she looked a bit solemn. The next morning she was saying we should put up our poinsettia tablecloth. I realize she thought the gingerbread event was Christmas. All she had gotten was a little gnome ornament with her name to hang on the tree. It wasn’t about presents – it was the people. She teaches me gratitude everyday.

      Read More
  • Mary Pat
    Dr. Jane Goodall, Rebecca Solnit, Heather Cox Richardson all immediately come to mind. The health care workers that in spite of all that has happened over these past two years, are still working in that field and doing what they can for all of us. Those of us who have found a way to help not just mankind, but all of Nature as well and get up everyday and continue to make the world a better place for all beings everywhere. Parents who have suffered the death of a child and get up every day...

    Dr. Jane Goodall, Rebecca Solnit, Heather Cox Richardson all immediately come to mind. The health care workers that in spite of all that has happened over these past two years, are still working in that field and doing what they can for all of us.
    Those of us who have found a way to help not just mankind, but all of Nature as well and get up everyday and continue to make the world a better place for all beings everywhere. Parents who have suffered the death of a child and get up every day putting one foot in front of the other. People who volunteer to help their fellow man, like those who work in food banks, and homeless shelters. We have a group of people in town that have volunteered –and been trained–to go out with social workers during cold nights and offer blankets to the homeless sleeping on the streets. All of these people are incredible, and inspire me daily to do the little bit I can. I am extremely grateful for each and everyone of these people, from well known to little-known.

    Read More
    • Mica

      Rebecca Solnit, Heather Cox Richardson – thank you, Mary Pat! I always appreciate learning about women who are new to me. Warm wishes to you –

  • Holly in Ohio

    When I was a little girl, my dad would point things out like the shape of clouds, or how sunshine was falling on something. I didn’t always appreciate it then, but he taught me to observe, and now it is in my toolbox and I can find something to delight in almost any moment.

    But I might not use that tool as regularly if it were not for the community here. YOU inspire me, on your good days and your days that have challenges, too. I learn from you to live more gratefully. ❤

  • MEG

    All connections which inspire me to seek and appreciate love, beauty, peace and joy.

  • sunnypatti

    The people I interact with every day. From coworkers to customers to my husband. I really love connecting with people, and the simple daily interactions bring me joy and sooth my soul. Doing what I do, I get to hear so many stories as well as share some of my own. I’m a people person and am grateful for all of the people on my daily path.

    • Mica

      “The people I interact with every day.” – that’s wonderful, sunnypatti! Warm wishes to you –

  • Angela

    My inspiration this holiday season is the beautiful letter written by Friar Giovanni Giocondo, about how joy, beauty, and wonder are here within our grasp – if we look. “Life is so full of meaning and purpose, so full of beauty beneath its covering, that you will find earth but cloaks your heaven.” The more I look, the more I see to appreciate. The poem is called Within Our Reach: Joy. Thank you Gratefulness team for sharing this beautiful letter.

  • Prajakta

    Sometimes seeing people who don’t have as much as me inspire me to be grateful. People who are kind to me inspire me to be grateful and be thankful for what I get!!

  • Kevin
    Our dog, Gracie, inspires me to live life more gratefully. Gracie went blind five years ago from a rare tick born disease, but she adapted to her new sightless world with such speed that it surprised even her canine ophthalmologist. Gracie’s sense of smell and hearing, over time, became super sensitive and her ability to understand certain phrases of human speech continues to amaze us daily. She has full reign of our property, inside and out, walking up and down stairs, jumping in and out of o...

    Our dog, Gracie, inspires me to live life more gratefully. Gracie went blind five years ago from a rare tick born disease, but she adapted to her new sightless world with such speed that it surprised even her canine ophthalmologist. Gracie’s sense of smell and hearing, over time, became super sensitive and her ability to understand certain phrases of human speech continues to amaze us daily. She has full reign of our property, inside and out, walking up and down stairs, jumping in and out of our van for car rides, and walking leashed on trailways and unleashed alongside me in remote places like fields and shorelines. She’s as excited about each new day, loves exploring new places to sniff out, and seems genuinely as happy and vibrant after loosing her sight as she was before losing it. Whenever I’m struggling, physically, with pain or feeling irked at not being able to do this or that I look at Gracie and think, what do I have to complain about? Gracie’s as bright-eyed, and eager as ever to see me and other family members as she was before losing her eyesight. Gracie inspires me to remember the gifts of the faculties and abilities that I do have and to be grateful for them, and not dwell on the few things I no longer can do like I used to.

    Read More
    • Mica
      Thank you again, Kevin - that reminds me of the guru's dog Rama who needed a home in his old age when the guru sold his house in California and my young daughter wanted him. Rama's hearing was poor, so he didn't know where my voice was coming from when I called, so he'd just turn around and around in the back yard. I learned to wave my arms while calling, so he'd know where I was and come to me. I learned a lot about graceful aging from Rama - he just licked his butt where some tumor was growing...

      Thank you again, Kevin – that reminds me of the guru’s dog Rama who needed a home in his old age when the guru sold his house in California and my young daughter wanted him. Rama’s hearing was poor, so he didn’t know where my voice was coming from when I called, so he’d just turn around and around in the back yard. I learned to wave my arms while calling, so he’d know where I was and come to me. I learned a lot about graceful aging from Rama – he just licked his butt where some tumor was growing but didn’t worry about it.

      Read More
    • Holly in Ohio
      Thank you for that, Kevin. I am smiling big here now. Gracie also reminds me of the happiest cat I knew, my neighbor's cat Gitzo, who was wild and homeless when she got hit by a car, and dragged her broken leg behind her for weeks before my neighbor could catch her. A vet had to remove the leg, it could no longer be saved, but that cat lived a long, affectionate, happy life after that. She would hop along, kind of like a bunny, and she could be quick! I caught her once with a duckling in her m...

      Thank you for that, Kevin. I am smiling big here now.
      Gracie also reminds me of the happiest cat I knew, my neighbor’s cat Gitzo, who was wild and homeless when she got hit by a car, and dragged her broken leg behind her for weeks before my neighbor could catch her. A vet had to remove the leg, it could no longer be saved, but that cat lived a long, affectionate, happy life after that. She would hop along, kind of like a bunny, and she could be quick! I caught her once with a duckling in her mouth. Fortunately the duckling was playing dead and we could reunite it with it’s family. I actually miss Gitzo, even though she was not my cat. Every day she was happy and loving.

      Read More
      • Kevin

        Reminds me of a three-legged dog at a farm I once worked he had a funny looking gait but he walked and even ran all over the place. Nobody told him he had a disability!

        • Holly in Ohio

          Exactly!

          My neighbor, by the way, is a photographer, and after seeing the vet bills for her surgery, he decided to name her “Gitzo” after the name of a very expensive French tripod. 😄

  • EJP

    Children….as they show us how to live simply, love unconditionally, learn always and laugh more.

  • Michele

    Myself, by helping me to stay focused and grounded.

  • Christine

    I always wake up grateful in the morning. Something happens in my sleep. How I am inspired and by whom is a mystery to me. A mystery that I am extremely grateful for and can rely on. I know it’s always there. Perhaps I can say that “sleep” is my best friend. While writing I suddenly think of Morpheus. Well……..then I’ll give him all the credit.🌝

  • Nelson

    I’m listening to The Gifts of Imperfection by Dr. Brene Brown right now. She’s on the chapter about joy and gratitude as we speak. I love her work.

    • Mica

      Thank you Nelson! I’ve downloaded the kindle edition. She’s such an impressive woman, and I hadn’t heard of this book, which is a message I need now as I struggle to finish writing a paper due Dec 31 🙃🤗

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