Gratitude

22 Nov 2010 9 Comments

by Bruce (born 2b me) in acceptance, gratitude Tags: acceptance, basic goodness, don't know, expectations, gratefulness, gratitude, who am I?

Today I thought I would modify a post I did on my other blog last April, and copy it here:

I awoke this morning. Not everyone did.

I opened my eyes and found I could see. Not everyone can. 

I heard the fan humming. Not everyone can hear. 

I wanted to get up – so I did! Not everyone can do that.  

I can walk, think, talk, write. Not everyone can.

There is no shortage of things for which I can be grateful, if only I stop and think about it.

I was given the  gift of life for a new day. I haven’t done anything to deserve it. There is nothing that can be done. It is always a gift.

Life itself is a pure gift. For too long I have taken these  basics for granted, as if I were somehow entitled to them. They were always there so I assumed I had a right to them. How arrogant of me.

I wake up to discover that I am still breathing, still pulsing. Someday I won’t.

I wake up to discover that I can see, hear, get up!  Someday I won’t.

Each and every moment is a gift. Every breath is a gift. I don’t have to think “now breathe a deep one, now breathe a shallow one”. My breathing just happens. Same with my pulse. My heart just beats without direction from me.

If I am looking for something to be thankful for, I need look no farther than my breath and my pulse.

I did not build this body/mind which I call mine. Nor do I know how to keep it going. I am the beneficiary of something or someone far greater than I.

And so I am grateful to our Creator and Sustainer (or, if you prefer, the Universe, Life, the Absolute, etc.) for all these many gifts.

I will live with joy in this body of mine, and experience these many good gifts for what they really are: pure gifts.

“I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the Lord sustains me.” Psalm 3:5 nrsv

Gratitude: there is no shortage of things for which I can be grateful if only I stop and think. Often in my posts I am focussing on difficulties I experienced, but I am basically so much happier than I have been in a long time. This I credit to the Aspie/autie community helping me to understand who I am and why my life unfolded as it did. It is such a relief to be home!