Gratitude is a discipline
September 27, 2010 by Marguerite Orane
Filed under Featured Posts, Practice
Since erecting a fence a few months ago, my mailman has been in a conundrum about how to deliver my mail. Should he fasten it to the fence? Throw it over? Open the gate and bring it in? He has tried all of those. I had no idea how inconvenient my fence had been for him until I installed a mailbox, with the express intent of protecting my mail from the elements and with no thought to the mailman.
I came home a few days ago to find my mail in the mailbox, and this note scrawled on the back of one of the envelopes:
“Thank You
Mailman”
How sweet of him to go to the effort of thanking me. Clearly, my installation of the mailbox has meant a lot to him. But all weekend I have been the one feeling super blessed – so warm, fuzzy and appreciated as I read and reread his little note.
There are three lessons for me in this little interchange:
- Gratitude blesses all – the one who expresses and the one to whom it is expressed.
- Gratitude expands when expressed – the mailman could have said a silent “thank you” and gone on his way. Instead, he chose to let me know, thus I am able to feel it and share the good feeling with others (including you)
- There is nothing too small or insignificant to be grateful for as gratitude magnifies becoming much bigger than the act
Make gratitude your daily practice. Be disciplined about it. You will soon find that it becomes automatic. When we openly express thanks for everything in our lives, we come to live in a perpetual state of grace.
Today, be disciplined in your gratitude:
- Right now, jot down 5 little things for which you are grateful – things or people you don’t normally give thanks for
- Tell everyone who does something for you “thank You”. Apply this not just to people who do something voluntarily, but also to those whom you pay. Look for the small things that people do
- Before bed tonight, commit to paper 5 more little things for which you are grateful
There is always something to be grateful for – we just need to be present and observe
Thank YOU Marguerite. Your thoughts always come at the exactly right time!
Thanks to YOU Jeanette for the kind words! I am inspired to keep posting!
The greatest sin, for those who think there is, is ingratitude.
Wow, this ia a wonderful,it always puts a smile on your face when you make someone happy.You made his job easier. Thank you for sharing and making me realise, how a simple “thank you” can make someone’s day.
It is true. The things that seem least consequential often have a big impact on how we feel and act towards others. My family includes thankfulness in our daily routine. When we sit down to every meal, we say grace and what we are thankful for. In those moments, my son often says the most profound and unexpected things. He clearly takes the exercise seriously, as he’s very deliberate about it. I’m very glad to have given him this habit that he can use for the rest of his life as well as pass on to others.
Thanks Vicki. WIshing you luck in your practice. The important thing is to stay present. Then you notice every little thing! Like this morning on my doggie walk, I was just giving thanks for the beautiful colours of fall. Have a grateful day!
that is so beautiful that you have developed the discipline of saying grace (no accident that we refer to it as “grace”). It is something I do not do often enough – thanks for the reminder! Have a graceful day!
Catherine – I don’t believe in the concept of “sin” – all I know is that ingratitude is a very uncomfortable, painful experience more so for the ingratituder (new word – one who is ungrateful) than the ingratitudee (new word – one who receives the ungratefulness). Something to be avoided by getting into a state of grace and expression of gratitude. Have a grateful day!
Margie – Your thoughts are right on point as always! Giving thanks is something I encourage the seniors with whom I work to do daily. Far too often they are complaining about any and everything that’s wrong in their life – body aches and pains, food they don’t like, unattentive families, a lost spouse … a missing lightbulb – it runs the gamut! My comments to them are to be grateful for what they do have and to stop focusing on the negative. I will be happy to share this post with them. Don’t ever give up on sharing your wise words, please. Proud to be family, girl!
Thanks Jenny – so happy to have you spread the gratitude word to your seniors. Try having them do a “thank you” jar – they can write things they are grateful for and drop it in the jar. Whenever someone complains, then make it a game to pick something out of the gratitude jar.