Grateful + Attitude = (Gr)atitude

 

                                        (The Universal Symbol for Gratitude)                                                

What an ingenious idea, to have a universal representation of a word that crosses the language barrier!  Not just any word, but one that we can actually learn to assimilate into our lives - Gratitude.  Regardless of our origins, this lone symbol translates, equivalently, worldwide.  

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, reminding me to stop whatever I am doing for the sole purpose of counting my blessings - which I do repeatedly.  My family knows to expect familiar faces around our table, in addition to a handful of new ones, depending on who might need a welcoming, warm, and often comical (Thanks to my children!) place to "land" for the holiday.

Ever since I was a child, it pained me to see anyone eating at a restaurant by themselves, or going to the movies alone. Those feelings have held steadfast through my adulthood, thus I promised myself that there will always be room for one more at my table.  And there is - Every.  Single.  Year.

I have tried to impress upon my kids that, even on their (presumably) worst days, there is something for which to be grateful.  They need only to open their eyes, hearts, and minds to the idea of gratitude.  To take that idea a step further, if they appreciate what they have, I encourage them to emanate kindness and include others.

While daily gratitude is not something adhered to by everyone, myself included during the years in which I was growing up, I have come to understand that attitude is often the biggest obstacle for finding one's path to appreciation.  It can be challenging not to lament the negative, and zero in on what is wrong in the world or in our lives.  This is where my stubbornness has been a blessing in disguise.

In a very strange way, I actually embrace those moments that might be less than joyful.  I would go so far as to say that when heaviness is a guest at my "inner table", I have learned to embrace its leaden hand.  Why?  It reminds me that I am human.  I make mistakes.  Every day is not always a good one.  There is plenty about which to worry. Yet, for me, gratitude is a practiced determination in finding something to value, cherish, and help me thrive - whether it's family, friends, the flowers I have planted, the garden growing in my backyard, or merely the fact that it is a sunny day. Being appreciative for the good things in my life feels much sweeter when I work to acknowledge them in the face of temporary turmoil.  

When we notice that someone seems troubled, or in need of a boost, it is empowering to think that one person, or one random act of kindness, might make a world of difference.  It is my idealistic hope that it will inspire others to follow suit, until kindness multiplies exponentially, encouraging in each other, that feeling of gratitude. 

As we gather around our own tables this Thanksgiving, may we be reminded of all for which we have to be grateful and may we be inspired to help ignite that feeling in the people around us. Can we adjust our attitudes in order to cast aside oppressive thoughts in favor of those that shine a light?  Engaging in acts of kindness, learning to be grateful for even the smallest things, and maintaining a positive outlook can help us experience genuine gratitude on this holiday, as well as every day.  

In short, Grateful + Attitude = (Gr)atitude - a formula that I fully embrace!

                                

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