Okay, so I'm still new to this world o' blogging. Gimme Facebook, I'm a pro. But when it comes to blogging . . . I think I need a class called Remedial Blogging 101 . . . if I found the time. *Sigh* I may just have to take a self-taught crash course on my own.
I like to think of myself as a pretty good teacher. Then again, I never DID get that whole journaling thing . . .
ANYway, the original purpose of this post was to express some gratitude. Lemme preface that with something that really doesn't sound as though I'm very grateful at all: I HATE winter! It's miserable. The lack of sunshine & warmth & green makes me wanna . . . well, it's no WONDER certain species HIBERNATE throughout the season! About four winters ago I was going through a rough time. Not only the weather, but life seemed . . . blah. Empty. Depressing. One day in December, as I was reading in the Ensign magazine, I came across the following article:
Jennifer Lucas, “Gratitude Chart,” Ensign, Dec. 2005, 60–61
“Gratitude is a memory of the heart,” a French proverb reminds me whenever I look at my gratitude poster. One day when I was feeling sad, my sister gave me this poster, then blank except for the proverb, and instructed me to take time each day to list at least one thing for which I was grateful. At first there seemed to be a lot of empty space staring back at me, but each day I was able to list something. Now that the chart is full, I can look at it whenever I feel bad and realize all the blessings I have, both temporally and spiritually. Interestingly, this reminder of my blessings helps me to better live within my means. When I’m tempted to buy that new stereo, for instance, I just look at my poster and remember all the temporal things I already have and am grateful for, as well as all the blessings that money can’t buy.
Jennifer Lucas, Irvine Third Ward, Irvine California Stake
It hit me hard at the time. My life wasn't empty at all! It was my failure to recognize all of the good things I had that caused me to feel so low. And so I started a "gratitude chart" of my own. Beginning on New Year's Day, 2006, I wrote down something I was grateful for daily, and I did so . . . for over three months! At first it was hard. Yeah, it was winter; yeah, I didn't particularly like my career; yeah, I was 28 and single. But over time, I found that I had SO much to be grateful for, and SO many reasons to be happy! SO many reasons to say, "Forget you, Old Man Winter!" and, not to sound cheesy, "There is Sunshine in My Soul Today!" I then gave heart-felt gratitude every night in prayer for that particular Blessing of the Day, and, day by day, my attitude and my life was changed. One of the last things I wrote on that gratitude chart, before my habits and environment changed, was "Bob," the wonderful man I met that spring my life was changed.
And so, before this winter does me in completely, I thought I might begin again. I haven't been able to find my old gratitude chart, and it's just as well. I'd much rather discover and rediscover those precious gems that add so much sunshine to my heart and mind. So here it is: Precious gem #1: My beloved little Taryn. I am EVER so grateful for my little punkincita! I learn so much from this little two-year-old. And I love to see the world through her eyes. There's so much wonder in EVERYTHING! I love that doll o' mine!
