“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.”
I try to begin every day with a morning prayer, spoken out loud, usually on my drive into work or after my morning walk. It’s a basic prayer that begins with, “Thank you Lord for this day and for all my blessings. I pray for a positive day for all of us…” From there, I include prayers and intentions for those I love, whatever their situation involves.
Earlier in my life I seemed to only say prayers for when I needed something - better health, improved relationships, finding happiness, etc.
Instead, I really should have focused on what I already had and not what I thought I should have…in other words, adopting an “attitude of gratitude”.
This time of year is typically when we focus on our blessings, being thankful for everyone and everything in our lives. It is a natural part of the Thanksgiving holiday season.
My experiences of the past month have proven to me that life can change at any moment and being able to live in the moment and reflect on all the love that surrounds us is essential.
My Facebook memories popped up this morning with a picture of my late mother and myself taken in her apartment. It’s one of my favorites and it documented the first time in two years, due to the pandemic, that we could hug each other. Just looking at it puts a smile on my face.
The post said, “Gratitude words are "food, self-love and fun"...Visiting Mom again I can guarantee all those words and more will be fulfilled this weekend - We love baking cookies (and I also brought home-made lasagna for lunch today) - I get to take time for myself (self-love) to read and work on my writing - And of course, fun - spending time together and enjoying every moment.”
This was also a good reminder of the importance of writing down gratitude lists and taking pictures of the moments that you want to capture. Being able to reflect on those positive moments helps us to get through the more challenging ones.
What are you grateful for? I urge you to take time today to embrace the positive moments you experience and to record your feelings regarding those moments.
I know I am grateful I did.
What do you think?
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Tranquil Moments…
I asked my niece, Jennifer Malphy, if she could share some of her nature photos with my newsletter audience. Each week I will feature a new photo. Here is this week’s:
What I am reading…
This week I am reading Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser. The Amazon description is as follows: “Millions of readers of Little House on the Prairie believe they know Laura Ingalls―the pioneer girl who survived blizzards and near-starvation on the Great Plains, and the woman who wrote the famous autobiographical books. But the true saga of her life has never been fully told. Now, drawing on unpublished manuscripts, letters, diaries, and land and financial records, Caroline Fraser―the editor of the Library of America edition of the Little House series―masterfully fills in the gaps in Wilder’s biography. Revealing the grown-up story behind the most influential childhood epic of pioneer life, she also chronicles Wilder's tumultuous relationship with her journalist daughter, Rose Wilder Lane, setting the record straight regarding charges of ghostwriting that have swirled around the books.”
I am really enjoying this book and if you like anything to do with Laura Ingalls Wilder or The Little House on the Prairie series, this is the book for you.
This week’s Smile Video
Scott Macaulay doesn't like eating alone, so 33 years ago he put an ad in the paper offering to cook Thanksgiving dinner for 12 people. He's been doing it ever since. "CBS Evening News" anchor Jeff Glor has his story.
#believe #smilevideos #spreadkindnessandlove
Mind/Body Connections…
Cultivate a mindset of gratitude and let this transformative experience inspire a greater appreciation for the beauty that surrounds you every day.
Music Moments
Music inspires me in many ways. Here’s one of my favorites, “Wide Open Spaces” by the Chicks…Enjoy!
Quote of the week
Until next week. Please remember…Begin and end each day with a grateful heart…and always, always be kind….