Practicing Gratitude by Suzanne Scheideker Cook
“When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.” - G.K. Chesterton
As human beings, it is one of our greatness weaknesses to realize how blessed we have been only after we no longer have what we took for granted. When life has gotten hard and the outlook is bleak, it is more difficult still to find anything to be thankful for in our lives. This occurred to me when I was told I was going to lose my leg and my life to cancer when I was in my late twenties. Up until that point, I had taken for granted that I would live a long life and have lots of time to cross everything off my bucket list.
It was the same with my first marriage. My husband and I were happily married, and sometimes he’d drop me off at the train station. One morning, he dropped me off and we told each other “I love you.” Then I received the call that Bill had been in an accident and I needed to leave work immediately. While most of the day is a horrible blur, I still remember the coroner placing my beloved husband in a body bag and loading him into the coroner’s van. I had taken our life together for granted. Both experiences threatened to engulf me in darkness, but two habits saved me from giving up on life – prayer and expressing gratitude.
Practicing gratitude sounds easy. Take it from my own personal experience; when life is pounding on you, being thankful for what you have sounds a bit like “Little Mary Sunshine.” It also feels like Mission: Impossible. You can do it though. You may be thinking, “How?!” Over the years, when I wake up, the first thing I do is think of everyone and everything that is a blessing and give thanks. Here are some thoughts to get you started on practicing gratitude:
If you are reading this blog, then you can see. This is a tremendous gift. Take a moment and look up from your screen. What do you see? Take time to really look at a plant and marvel at the different shades of green on a single leaf. Tonight, look up the stars and the moon. Feel the wonder of the night sky.
Now, think about all the things you have learned and can continue to learn because you know how to read. To be able to read and learn are two powerful gifts that you have been given to use to better your life.
Think of someone who has made a positive difference in your life. Take the time to thank them.
When you are doing errands, do you thank those that are helping you such as the grocery store checker or the person at the fast-food restaurant window?
To this point, one evening I was having dinner at one of my favorite coffee shops, and the young waitress told me, “You are one of our favorites. Everyone hopes that you sit at their station.” Surprised, I asked, “Why?” She answered, “You treat us like human beings. You always say please and thank you.” My response was, “Doesn’t everybody?” Her reply was, “I can go an entire 8-hour shift and not hear one person say thank you to me.” Practicing gratitude blesses your life as well as those around you.
Here are two personal challenges for practicing gratitude for you:
Start a Blessing List of what you are grateful for and add to it each day for two weeks. For everyone on your Blessing List, thank them for their kindnesses and for what they mean to you.
This challenge is courtesy of President Russell M. Nelson of the Church of Latter-Day Saints. He challenged his members to turn their social media pages into their own personal gratitude journals for a week and use #GiveThanks. (For Bishop Nelson’s complete message on the healing power of gratitude, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i51gcWCs-Ho)
I’d love to hear what and who you’re grateful for! Comment on this blog post with any blessing you’re comfortable sharing with our community and me, and make sure to add #BlessingList.
I can’t wait to read all your responses and please know I am thankful for you.
Suzanne
