For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist, lecturer, and poet, “Thanksgiving”
When life goes awry, we can easily spiral into a negative frame of mind. It is hard to stay positive when we are exhausted and weary from the day-to-day effort. It is hard to stay optimistic when we are surrounded by darkness and can no longer see the light. When we feel this way, instead of throwing in the towel, we can reflect on the simple things in life that we are grateful for. It is the simple things that will refuel and catapult us to an improved state of mind.
We must start with a gratitude practice that has us appreciating the basic necessities that we may take for granted, such as food, shelter, health, and love. When we recognize that we are sustained in the most fundamental of ways, the opportunity for positive change grows. Then, with this new mind-set, instead of focusing on the chaos, we are grateful for good friends and family who stand by our side. Instead of feeling exhaustion, we appreciate our beds where we can lay our weary heads. Instead of focusing on the darkness, we see the constant morning light. A primitive prayer of gratitude at the most basic level can change our life for the better in an instant. When we acknowledge with gratitude the little things in life, everything that follows is just icing on the cake.
Magical Key to Bliss: Be grateful for the little things in life because they will one day prove to be the big things!
