Gratitude and the Coming Holidays

I’ve been thinking a lot about gratitude lately. All of us, no matter what our circumstances, have reasons to be grateful.

With all the chaos happening in the world today there is a lot of worry and concern, especially about financial matters. We can choose to focus our thoughts and energy on the fear and the ‘news’, or we can consciously choose to think about what we have in our lives to be grateful for.

You may think that it is necessary to focus your thoughts on: ‘how to get out of this mess?’ or ‘what can I do to keep my family safe?’ when, in reality, all you truly have to do is be the love that you are and pay attention to the opportunities that present themselves. And they are presenting every day.

Most of us are so set on following the path we’ve chosen that we miss the quite lovely side roads as we go zooming past. This can be true even for some of us who have chosen a spiritual path. For some reason, the human personality tends to choose the straight path most of the time. Even when we make a major change at some point and take a new direction, we tend to feel the path is now set and, after a while, we forget to look around.

The truth is - - Life is a grand adventure! It’s all in the choices. Don’t most of us have wishes and dreams? Let us, for a moment, be as little children and believe that our dreams can come true. But how can we make our dreams come true, especially the way the world is today?

We can spend some time every day focusing our minds and hearts on being grateful for what is already there. That creates a new energy and like draws like energy. We don’t do the gratitude exercise to get more stuff, but to create the atmosphere of loving gratitude for our own joy. There is a bonus here - - by being the example of our living, loving, God selves for our families and ultimately the world, everything begins to change.

How do you suppose our children have become so intent on how much they can get for Christmas? We can blame television and their friends, but they learn their lessons first at home. When we become less focused on how to get more and more and begin to live in gratitude, our children will imitate do the same. It isn’t what we tell them as much as who we are that forms their ideas and behavior.

So if you want to make a happier, more loving atmosphere this holiday season - - choose loving gratitude, in how you think and behave - - and your family will follow.

I created you a little book as a gift for my family and friends. I liked it so much I’m sharing it with you. It’s called “My Gratitude Journal” and you can see it at www.lulu.com/pennymccoy

I’m wishing you, love and joy this Holiday Season, and all the gratitude your heart can hold. I’m grateful for you, my faithful readers. Many blessings!