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Reflection on gratitude
Would you consider yourself a grateful person? If so, what are you grateful for? Who are you grateful to? If not, why not? This may be an unusual approach to a post. However, I believe it is appropriate for us to start from this position of solemn reflection. Too often, I have found myself having to step out of bed and just get ready to go out into the world for various engagements without taking a moment to ponder the fact that “I am actually alive”. Yes, it can be very routine for us to go to sleep, awake, eat, play, maybe work, eat some more, then press repeat. It appears so mundane it is easy for us to forget to take a pause and ponder the very fact that “I am alive today!”. Or, even better, how can I say thanks for being alive today?
You could be dead!
You see, taking a pause to ponder the fact of life every morning is not just a mere acknowledgement that “Yes, I am alive”. No, it is more than that. Reflecting on the fact that you are alive means considering the fact that you could be dead! I know, nobody wants to think of that first thing in the morning. Perhaps that explains why most of us skip this thought altogether when we see the crack of dawn or the rising of a new day’s sun. It may feel like a daunting task. Indeed, it can be a panic trigger. But, it is necessary. Or, may be you do not realize the life you enjoy was given to you and that you did not just happen to be able to wake up?
The Breath of life
You see, your body undertakes several physiological processes that are useful to maintain life. But, your body by itself is not the source of its life. Think about it for a moment. There are several actions your body may allow you to perform, whether walking, running, playing, working, talking, eating, seeing, hearing, feeling, etc. These are all nice things. However, without the breath of life, you won’t be able to do any of those things. Just think about it. Won’t your body be totally useless to you without breath? So, where does this breath come from? Well, it’s not from you nor me. Yes, it is in nature. Although, you’d have to ask, how did it get into nature? The answer is God put it there. Your heart knows that! If your brain doesn’t get it, give it time. Often times, the brain can be slow to catch up to what the heart knows so be a little patient.
For now, let’s discuss why it is necessary to reflect and appreciate your life. We’ll discuss one reason and pick it up later.
Don’t be like them
Spending a few minutes every morning to appreciate life—your life— will go a long way to help you take advantage of every moment and maximize every opportunity. In this world, many people take life for granted and waste time pursuing folly. Many of such people tend to procrastinate or miss out on opportunities. Others in this category are so pessimistic they hardly see any beauty around them. Have you met anyone who never smiled or always complained about one thing or another? A most fundamental reason is the lack of appreciation of life or the giver of it—God.
Practice of gratitude
Wondering how to start yourself on the path of gratitude? I’ll help. As soon as you realize “I am alive”, thank God! But, don’t stop there. Continue in that same spirit by reflecting on how you can show your appreciation, especially towards others from that moment and do it in as much as you can. As you persist in this, a habit of gratitude will form. Over time, you will begin to see the fruits of gratitude change or improve your approach to living.