A Foundation of Gratitude

Before you can even think of giving to others, you have to start with something.

And that, is a foundation of gratitude.

For if you cannot find it within yourself to be thankful for all that you have, all that you are, wherever you are right now, then how can you expect to truly give to others?

I heard a talk about "Stewardship: A Way of Life" and some of the things I heard simply flew over my head. Gratitude, yeah right. Some of you might also be reading this, and the words might just be zipping through a scrolling page.

Gratitude? Sure.

It is difficult to feel grateful (or great-ful / full of greatness) when your body is tired, when problems are piled on either side of you, when you worry about finances / health / relationships, when you look around and see how everyone else is lucky.

Everyone, that is, except you.

Perhaps we expect too much. Perhaps we look for the "big thing." Or maybe we're looking for the mother of all breaks. And in our quest for the mountain of success, we overlook the tiny yellow flowers along the zig-zagging trail.

We gloss over things previously lost, but are now found. We grow blind to the little indulgences that we are treated to. We focus too much on the sacrifice and lose sight of the reward.

Enough of this preachy post. Watch this instead.

(Thank you to Sarj.)

[ First posted on 09/23/2007 by Manuel Viloria ]