More On Being Thankful

Here is a message from The Daily Om that really sends the thankful message home better than I can, so I'm posting it here. I keep seeing this same message about being grateful even when things aren't going as well as you'd like. If only we can remember this when we need it most.

November 22, 2007
Beyond Counting Blessings
Being Truly Thankful
Often when we practice being thankful, we go through the process of counting our blessings, acknowledging the wonderful people, things and places that make up our reality. While it is fine to be grateful for the good fortune we have accumulated, true thankfulness stems from a powerful comprehension of the gift of simply being alive, and when we feel it, we feel it regardless of our circumstances. In this deep state of gratitude, we recognize the purity of the experience of being, in and of itself, and our thankfulness is part and parcel of our awareness that we are one with this great mystery that is life.

It is difficult for most of us to access this level of consciousness as we are very caught up in the ups and downs of our individual experiences in the world. The thing to remember about the world, though, is that it ebbs and flows, expands and contracts, gives and takes, and is by its very nature somewhat unreliable. If we only feel gratitude when it serves our desires, this is not true thankfulness. No one is exempt from the twists and turns of fate, which may, at any time, take the possessions, situations, and people we love away from us. Ironically, it is sometimes this kind of loss that awakens us to a thankfulness that goes deeper than just being grateful when things go our way. Illness and near-miss accidents can also serve as wake-up calls to the deeper realization that we are truly lucky to be alive.

We do not have to wait to be shaken to experience this state of being truly thankful for our lives. Tuning in to our breath and making an effort to be fully present for a set period of time each day can do wonders for our ability to connect with true gratitude. We can also awaken ourselves with the intention to be more aware of the unconditional generosity of the life force that flows through us regardless of our circumstances.

What Are You Thankful For?

At the risk of sounding like a cliche, I'm going to put that question out to you today since tomorrow most of us in the US will be celebrating Thanksgiving by stuffing ourselves with turkey and mashed potatoes. I don't know about you, but I tend to get caught up in all the dinner prep and worrying about what to wear and who'll be at dinner to remember to be thankful for all the things that matter. That is, up until now. Today I realize how grateful I am for my kids. Even though they make my life "challenging" sometimes and keep me busy and occasionally a little frustrated, I love them more than anything and I am literally blessed to have them in my life. I'm also grateful that I have a house with beautiful property that we bought before the real estate boom--meaning we could almost afford it. We live in the northeast where the home prices are over inflated to the point where in RI, you need to make at least $48,000 to afford to buy at the low end of the market. So, I am always grateful that we bought this house when we did. It's a beautiful place to live. There are a great many more things I have to be thankful for, but I'm not going to list them all here. These are the ones that are really important to me.

Yesterday I found out I was in charge of making mashed potatoes for our family Thanksgiving dinner at my sister's house tomorrow. I've never made them before and now I have to make them for 25 people. My husband is the cook here (another reason to be grateful), but he has to work tomorrow, so I have to fill in. I was rather alarmed at first, but now I see it as an opportunity to learn something new. I'm grateful to have a place to go and celebrate as well as enjoy a delicious meal. Not everyone has that option. But even those that don't have a warm meal to share with family and friends will find something to be thankful for if they look. Your health or the roof over your head or even getting a day off of work--if you're lucky enough to have it. Seek and you shall find. I know, another cliche. I didn't say I was grateful for my originality.

Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving day and keep in mind all the many reasons you have to be thankful.

Until next time, be prepared for the best.