In my Gather group, Spirituality Explorers, http://exploringspirit.gather.com/ I put the question out: "What are you grateful for?" The answers are coming in and I am enjoying reading them.
Jerry, one of my Gather friends, wrote that it is hard for him to enjoy all that he is thankful for and to truly feel grateful when there is so much suffering in the world.
It can be difficult to be happy when there are so many people in the world experiencing pain and loss. But feeling sad because of their challenges will not make their life any better, and it certainly does not help us. It is, in my opinion, far better to feel grateful and happy for the blessings in our life and to reach out and share them with others. Our guilt and sadness helps no one.
Today, as I thought about my own blessings, I naturally thought of my husband and life partner. He and I have been together for 21 years and married for 18. I am so grateful for the life we share together.
But what also occurred to me today is that I am grateful for what I learned during the most difficult challenges in my life. I have grown as a person from these experiences. Who I am today is a result of those often painful times. They have deepened me and forced me to turn inward. They have strengthened me and challenged me to become more spiritually centered.
As we think of the blessings that we have to be grateful for this Thanksgiving, it is natural to include the obvious ones: the loved ones, good health, prosperity, food to eat. But why not look deeper and appreciate the gifts we received from the times of trial and tribulation. When we can look at the painful times of our life and feel gratitude for the good that came out of them, we can begin to experience happiness no matter what the situation. As spiritual teacher Ram Das said, it's all "grist for the mill."
I agree some of the significant lessons we learn tend to arise from stepping outside our comfort zone. This implies taking risks, opening ourselves to vulnerability, being willing to make mistakes and finally evolving to recognize the resulting growth.
Posted by: Liara Covert | November 26, 2007 at 04:21 AM