This morning as I sliced a banana into my oatmeal into what seemed like 100 pieces, it reoccurred to me how bountiful are life’s gifts.
I learned a long time ago the value of practicing gratitude in all circumstances: in times of prosperity, and times of lack; in times of sickness, and in health. We all know how challenging it can be to be grateful during times of illness. Gratitude is often the last thing we think of when we or someone we love is ill.
Regardless of where we are with physical or monetary assets at any given time, there is much for which to be grateful.
And I have found throughout my on-and-off gratitude practice, during those times when my practice is “on,” I just seem to recognize more and more for which to be grateful.
My cousin and I have classified gratitude as a “magic pill.”
When we find ourselves in a self-defeating negative cycle, it has a way of not only putting things into perspective, but also putting a bit of a skip in our step.
Yes, at least for me, practicing gratitude makes me happy.
And, I have also found the more I practice gratitude for all the gifts in my life – such as physical, mental, spiritual, emotional and financial – the more seems to come my way.
I know this might sound like some kind of New Age woo. I might think so too, if I didn’t know it was true.
If you need a scriptural example, in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus has five loaves of bread and two fishes to feed a crowd numbering more than 5,000 men, women and children.
“Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up 12 basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.” ~ Matthew 14:19-20
… he gave thanks, and broke the loavesv… they all ate and were satisfied … 12 basketfuls of broken pieces left over.
Whomever or Whatever is responsible for putting us all here in time and space is nothing if not generous.
Abundantly, overwhelmingly generous.
The changing seasons offer visual evidence of this overwhelming generosity. We see it at its peak in the midst of summer when all of nature is vibrant with life. Then, we see it in autumn, when farmers bring in their harvests. In years of good crop yields, we can be grateful for the fruits of labors. When yields are sparse, even then, there is much for which to be grateful – although admittedly, it might take a little more thought and effort.
But when we practice gratitude on a regular basis, finding that for which to be grateful when times are thin isn’t so difficult. We have come to learn and to know that we cycle through good times and bad, times of wealth and poverty, times of sickness and health.
Times of abundance can teach us a great deal about “grace,” and times of lack can teach us a great deal about “faith.”
Either way, all of it – experiencing grace and growing in faith – is good.
Meister Eckhart is famous for saying “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.”
I couldn’t agree more.
SPIRIT MATTERS is a weekly column that examines experiences common to the human spirit. Contact Jerrilyn Zavada at jzblue33@yahoo.com to share how you engage your spirit in your life and community.