Dec 09
15
Guest Blog???
Our guest blogger today is Mormor. Surprise!!! It was my assignment to ask someone to write our guest blog this week, and, well, with all the busyness of life, I didn’t get it done. Oh, no! I apologize, but hope you enjoy an extra blog by Mormor. And I am already in pursuit of a guest blog writer for next week.
There are many seasons in our lives. My children actually visit a client of my husband who has become their friend. She lives in a nursing home not too far from our home. In the last week, each of them has come to me and said, “Mom, we need to go see Mary. We haven’t seen her for awhile. She really wants us to come more often.” The words may have been a little different, but the thought has been the same nevertheless.
We met Mary when my husband invited us to go and visit her. Now, my girls especially, love listening to her life story. One of their favorite times is when she talks about meeting her husband. Mary never raised children of her own; she taught school and helped shape the lives of many children born to other parents. Now she continues to shape the lives of my children who love the stories that she tells of her teaching experience.
Sometimes, Marissa will bake cookies to take to her. On various holidays, we will take dinner to her. Marta will play the piano for her, and our whole family will go and sing to her. She is always grateful for any small kindness shown to her.
I hope that I can always show gratitude for all the small kindnesses in my life. I feel grateful for so many things and I am working on making sure to express my gratitude. Expressing gratitude makes us stronger and happier. Being happier makes us healthier. Gratitude benefits the giver as well as the recipient.
Years ago, it was recommended that we keep a gratitude journal. I like to write down 5 things each day for which I am grateful. When I first started, it was sometimes hard to think of 5 things at the end of the day when I was tired. Not that there were not numerous gifts of kindness to me each day, but I wasn’t paying enough attention. After a few weeks, I found that I preferred to write down things I was grateful for all during the day, so that I would have a record, contemporaneously kept, of the kindnesses of my Heavenly Father and others. I think that I am more aware of my blessings because of writing down 5 things each day.
We can be grateful for little things. Last night, I looked up at the stable covering a Nativity on the piano. Our family was gathered together and I looked in front of me and noticed the pine bough and berries that one of my grandchildren had placed on top of the stable. I never would have thought to place pine and berries on top of the painted stable. Yet, it adds even more of a Christmas feel. Sunday night, Caleb, our 2 year old grandson, called my daughter. She was delighted that he called just to talk to her. Little things mean a lot.
There are so many things to be thankful for. We just celebrated Thanksgiving and now we celebrate Chanukah or Christmas or Kwanza or Ramadan or whatever you celebrate. Each of these holidays remind us of good things, help us to remember the blessings we have been given and helps us to be better people. This is something we can be grateful to share. We have sunsets and sunrises and light and family and friends that make our life better and we can be grateful for the small things we have been given; and on and on goes the list.
Perhaps, you too can begin today to write down a list of things you are thankful for in your life, just a few things, maybe 5, and enjoy the increased happiness you feel as you spend more time being grateful. So, what are you grateful for today?
