The World in a Bright Light

The following was sent in my DailyOm emails and it couldn't have happened on a more perfect day. Today I spent 3 hours watching families in need pick up their Christmas gifts. Mothers nearly in tears over the generosity of others in giving them things they needed and items their kids wanted.

One lucky family walked away with two bikes for their boys and another got a much needed car seat and another a high chair for their baby. The gratitude in their faces really reminds me of everything that I have. That I don't need to worry about having basic necessities, that I have a warm home to go to at night, that I can let the heater run without worrying how high my utility bill will be. I can go out to eat knowing I have income right now and that I can save money as well.

Today, I am very blessed and very grateful for the little things in my life. :)

December 17, 2008
The World in a Bright Light
Grateful

Everyday is a blessing, and in each moment there are many things that we can be grateful for. The world opens up to us when we live in a space of gratitude. In essence, gratitude has a snowball effect. When we are appreciative and express that gratitude, the universe glows a bit brighter and showers us with even more blessings.

There is always something to be grateful for, even when life seems hard. When times are tough, whether we are having a bad day or stuck in what may feel like an endless rut, it can be difficult to take the time to feel grateful. Yet, that is when gratitude can be most important. If we can look at our lives, during periods of challenge, and find something to be grateful for, then we can transform our realities in an instant. There are blessings to be found everywhere. When we are focusing on what is negative, our abundance can be easy to miss. Instead, choosing to find what already exists in our lives that we can appreciate can change what we see in our world. We start to notice one blessing, and then another.

When we constantly choose to be grateful, we notice that every breath is a miracle and each smile becomes a gift. We begin to understand that difficulties are also invaluable lessons. The sun is always shining for us when we are grateful, even if it is hidden behind clouds on a rainy day. A simple sandwich becomes a feast, and a trinket is transformed into a treasure. Living in a state of gratitude allows us to spread our abundance because that is the energy that we emanate from our beings. Because the world reflects back to us what we embody, the additional blessings that inevitably flow our way give us even more to be grateful for. The universe wants to shower us with blessings. The more we appreciate life, the more life appreciates and bestows us with more goodness