Of course, of course, any gift of the world must include the sparkling practice of gratitude. If we aren't singing life's praises each and every day, then why have we been given a voice to sing?
We can rant in despair or we can rave in delight. The choice is ours to make. We can choose to side with the nitpickers and naysayers, or we can side with those lovely souls who breathe life into the world by aligning themselves with a vision of life's fundamental perfection, even when life also appears to be a mess.
Gratitude softens us, sweetens us, and binds us back together. It returns us to that wide-eyed wonder that we held so close when we were young. It brings us back to the side of innocence and ease. It chases away despair and desperation. It creates a small crack in the darkness that allows the light to shine through. Some days, it is what makes life bearable.
Saying thank you is the surest way to change our mood and the quickest way to change our lives. It is an affirmation of all that is good and right in the world. It is a willingness to side with the light. And it realigns our bodies and our minds back in the direction of love, of support, of uplift and positivity.
And through this all, we learn that everyone and everything can be our perfect teacher. We say thank you to those who reveal to us our own fragility and imperfection, just as we offer gratitude to those who remind us how beautiful and perfect we are right here and right now. We say thank you to those who have taught us to walk away, to take another path, to align ourselves with a different way of being in the world. We learn to offer thanks for the light that always and inevitably slips in through the cracks of even the darkest night.
Let's start right now. Let's look around for a talisman of all that is right and beautiful, and let us give thanks. We could start with the purest shade of blue, or a wisp of a cloud in the sky. The footsteps of a loved one. Birdsong. Warmth on a cool day. Sweet treats to share. A kind word. An inspiration. That loyal friend - the breath - that keeps chugging away so faithfully.
How uplifting it is to remember we are alive, and to be thankful for the many gifts that color our days. To give thanks for the people who bring our world to life. To offer gratitude for the rich experiences that add texture and taste and love to each day. To acknowledge those small sparkling moments that bring happiness and inspiration.
How wise it is to be thankful for even the challenges in life. To appreciate all they have to teach us and the many ways life's difficulties both strengthen and soften us. And especially to offer thanks for those invisible hands of support that appear, just when we need them most, to hold and carry us when we can no longer manage on our own.
How clear-eyed it is to be thankful for moments of peace when they sneak into our days. To be thankful for the ability to recognize those tranquil moments when they appear. And to offer gratitude for the wisdom to welcome them in, to cherish them, to let them inspire us to spread love in all directions, in every way we can.
And let's not keep all this bounty to ourselves. Let's pass it all around, letting the words "thank you" pass easily from our lips. Let's write thank you letters and leave secret gifts at the doorstep and place flowers on the kitchen table, passing the love along. Let's help reveal the beauties of the world to others whose eyes are too cloudy to see. Let's use our own light to ease the darkness that so often settles all around us.
Let’s keep this gratitude practice going until it no longer feels like a practice but simply becomes who we are. We are creatures of this unbelievable glory of the world. We are here. We are now. We are alive and we are in love. We are fueled and buoyed by this unending singing of the praises of the world, this endless stream of thanksgiving, which lightens us and fills us with hope and inspiration.
Through our gratitude we illuminate the world, revealing the brilliance and amazement all around us. As we discover this endless bounty, we offer this gift generously, to everyone around us, everywhere.