Give it up
Delicious Habit
It is the season of giving thanks. But let’s expand this concept. What if just giving became the basis of the day? Thanks could be loaded up with generosity, love, compassion and all of those nice values. We could still celebrate with delicious food. In fact, we should probably celebrate every morsel we put into our mouths. Not just with the same old prayers before digging in, but maybe with a more rounded type of gratefulness. Being thankful is a wonderful celebration. Let’s extend its reach.
So Difficult to give Thanks
The hard times. Just when you have life moving along with less effort, a shark shows up. As soon as the fin appears, the body clenches in fear. This is a physical response that we can’t control easily. Our minds are hard-wired for safety. Fins that mean danger aren’t the same as fins that mean cute dolphins. We look for ways to get away without notice. We know that our lives depend on our maintaining our own survival. When you start to hear the chords from the movie Jaws form in your ears, you are quite sure that the end is near. It is impossible to be thankful for the bounty of ocean life when you are running away from it.
Journey’s End
I try my best to be thankful since it seems like the right thing to do. And I know that if I can keep my wits about me until the hard stuff passes, I might actually learn something from the passage. But going through the tunnel of pain or suffering limits my ability to feel good. I am usually too busy trying to determine how to get to the other end of the abyss. As you know, this takes a supreme effort. It is as if my brain can’t be generous with my own little dilemmas until there is more safety. That may seem like a cave person trait, but what will it take to overcome it? Maybe more experience, maybe more thanks.
Delayed Gratification
There is nothing wrong with it. My ability to be so grateful with my life is so much greater now. I can’t say that it is just because of the trials I have been through but that has weighed in. Maybe it is life experience that reminds me that I am still standing after all this time. Hard to say. But I know that I am so delighted to be able to feel how special my life has been so far. Generosity works both ways. The giver gets a great feeling and the person accepting the gift gets the warm fuzzies also. It seems like the perfect value to celebrate on a special day. To avoid not delaying it for the next special day, give thanks as if it is free. Be generous with yourself.
Being thankful feels good. What part of life gives you that grateful feeling?
