Why Express Gratitude?
Fair warning: I don’t know. I don’t know why it’s important to express gratitude. I think it is. But, I don’t want you to think I have some magic insight into what expressing gratitude will do for you.
Okay, now that we’ve established that I don’t know what I’m talking about, let me talk about it a while longer.
I’m taking a class through my church. The class is on emotional resilience. I took the class because my lovely wife signed us up. And my good friend is teaching it. There are about 7 people in the class. But occasionally as few as three or four of us show up each week. So, if I wasn’t there, they might not continue the class. So I go each week.
It’s not a bad class. And the principles are good. We had one exercise that required us to write something we are grateful for everyday.
That’s the entire exercise. We don’t have to make it about anything in particular. We don’t have to create any sort of action plan.
Nope.
Just write down one thing you are grateful for.
It’s an easy exercise, of course. But, it is also a valuable one. Some days, I admit I didn’t remember until I was in bed. I thought of something and wrote it down the next day. Other times I’ve written a quick note expressing gratitude for my lovely wife, or music. On Monday I expressed gratitude for our fallen soldiers, including my father, who was a reluctant soldier, as well as my many generations-great grandfather who fought at Lexington and Concord during the Revolutionary War.
One thing the exercise has done is help me to think about what to be grateful for. I didn’t just think of it once per day, of course. As I got in the habit I found myself returning to the exercise throughout the day.
And I wrote down the things each day. I saw the post I-it notes throughout the day. Another reminder to be grateful.
It’s not hard to find things to be grateful for. Being a man of faith, I believe that all we have is a gift from God. Literally everything, from the air we breathe, to the food we eat. The skills we have. The earth and everything in it.
I realize I’m grateful for all of you. Th readers that make these scribbles more than just my random thoughts.
What are you grateful for? If you had a gratitude journal what would be in it?
I’m still filling mine.
Stay safe
Rodney M Bliss is an author, columnist and IT Consultant. His blog updates every weekday. He lives in Pleasant Grove, UT with his lovely wife, thirteen children and grandchildren. Order Miscellany II, an anthology including his latest short story, “The Mercy System” here
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