I saw a picture online of a colorfully written reminder: Please remember: Your job is the dream of the unemployed, your house is the dream of the homeless, your smile is the dream of the depressed, your health is the dream of those who are sick. Beautiful things happen when you distance yourself from negativity. Find something to be grateful for.
Yesterday, I was at the beautiful home of a friend who loves to share her abundance with family and friends. She throws epic parties, and I had a great time. We discussed the subject of abundance, and she acknowledged her own. She’s not haughty. Rather, she is grateful.
I have a teacher who recognized his own envy when he saw people who had more ‘toys’—better car, bigger home, nicer career, whatever it was that he coveted. He learned the value of turning that envy into gratitude for the abundance of others, and quietly congratulated them for that. What began as forced words became meant feelings. Imagining himself in their shoes did nothing for his own sense of value—he needed to see them walking their own path, finding happiness in their lives, and being happy with them.
I have experienced that change in my own life. I can feel happiness for the abundance others experience, without feeling diminished in the process. What a glorious change from the internal knots of jealously I used to indulge in! Now, like the reminder above says, I am free to fully enjoy all that I have, instead of wishing for something else. I don’t have a home anymore, but I have a very comfortable apartment, with a cozy bed and food in the fridge—and air conditioning. The job I didn’t particularly enjoy has provided me with a steady retirement income, freeing me from the anxiety of wondering how to pay my rent. My health is still good enough to find enjoyment in all I do. I’m thankful for legs that still work, lungs which need no help, a heart which is still beating steadily.
Most important, I find so much on a daily basis which makes me smile. I live my life in beautiful abundance. For that, I am grateful.
No comments:
Post a Comment