Turn a Corner from Whining to Gratitude

After picking up an armful of sticks this afternoon, I head to the road to set them down.  As I drop them into a new pile, I spot random sticks nearby left behind when the city scooped up an earlier collection.

My mind starts to whine about the number of jobs we need to re-do — stick piles, dishes, laundry…

Thankfully, before I travel too far down that bumpy road, I turn a corner into naming all the reasons I can be happy I’m healthy enough to pick up sticks once, twice, or four times daily.

Ah…the joys of naming gratitude.  Before I know it, I’m smiling while feeling thankful for the birds singing, the sun shining, the breeze blowing.  I feel deep appreciation that my body can bend and carry sticks, that I have a yard with trees that release branches in wind and rain. That I’m dating a wonderful soul who adds cutting my lawn to his list of chores, including his own lawn to cut and gardens to tend.

I reside in a comfortable rented house on a quiet street in a town bordered by ancient mountains.  I have plenty to eat, enough safe water to drink, and people to love.

And joy moves into my being again.  The job of picking up sticks, which almost made me spin into complaining, led instead to the reminder of all the reasons I can be grateful today, and happy to spread joy as I can.

Can you give up complaining one complaint at a time?  Can you replace complaining with reasons to be grateful?  Are you ready to discover how an attitude of gratitude can shift your life into a gentler, more joyful place?  Have you already made that discovery?  Hooray!