Practicing Gratefulness

Our family has a tradition each night, just before bedtime, where we share what we are grateful for from the day that was just lived. As we recount our many blessings, it often leads to great sharing with one another and connecting in ways that multiply those blessings. One thing that is beautiful to experience in this process is the expectation that we will indeed find blessings in every day. There is always something for which we can be grateful. In fact, often it’s the case that there is much more we could say than the time we have allotted for this exercise, so we simply conclude with, “…and everything else I’m forgetting.”

 

Practicing gratefulness has gotten me through some of the worst times of my life, such as enduring a broken heart or the death of a loved one. I recall one time when it took all I had to write just a few things down each day, but it was that small list that gave me a thread of hope that life was ultimately good and somehow I would heal.

 

Then there are the times where practicing gratefulness has helped me capture some of the greatest moments in life, like watching a new baby develop or gathering for a special occasion. By naming these joys out loud, or writing them down in a journal, they seem to get further embedded into the “cherished" file of my heart. 

 

When we take time to notice, appreciate, and celebrate our many blessings we savor the best there is to enjoy in life. And as we intentionally look for what is right in the world, we tend to draw in more of that goodness. Practicing gratefulness daily is like taking a vitamin for our souls, only it’s nourishment is endless. 

 

What are you grateful for today? May you be inspired!

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