(Madisyn Taylor)
Often when we practice being thankful, we go through the process of counting our blessings, acknowledging the wonderful people, things and places that make up our reality. While it is fine to be grateful for the good fortune we have accumulated, true thankfulness stems from a powerful comprehension of the gift of simply being alive, and when we feel it, we feel it regardless of our circumstances.
It is difficult for most of us to access this level of consciousness as we are very caught up in the ups and downs of our individual experiences in the world. The thing to remember about the world, though, is that it ebbs and flows, expands and contracts, gives and takes, and is by its very nature somewhat unreliable. If we only feel gratitude when it serves our desires, this is not true thankfulness. No one is exempt from the twists and turns of fate, which may, at any time take the possessions, situations, and people we love away from us. Ironically, it is sometimes this kind of loss that awakens us to a thankfulness that goes deeper than just being grateful when things go our way. Illness and near-miss accidents can also serve as wake-up calls to the deeper realization that we are truly lucky to be alive. But we do not have to wait to be shaken to experience this state of being truly thankful for our lives.
My Thoughts:
This is a saying that I mean to keep constantly at the front of my mind, but too often forget.
Everyday I wake-up is a bonus.
Also, the warning that … you can’t take it with you when you die.
I, like so many others waste an awful amount of time and effort in acquiring tangible things to either make my life easier or more enjoyable, but as the years add-up I find that I am less inclined to crave the materialist things in life.
Don’t get me wrong, I still want the good bits that I have already (nice house, stunning location, beautiful garden, and the gadgets like my tablet, laptop, etc.) but I have to admit that it is becoming more important to not just have the people and animals around me that I love, but for me to do everything I can to make sure they are safe and happy.
I am not afraid of death, although I’m not wanting it to visit any time soon (a few score years more would be just fine), but what I am scared about is illness. I could not imagine anything worse than having an active mind trapped in a body that won’t play nicely, or for my mad, chaotic, frenetic mind to go off on an adventure of its own and leave my body behind.
Then if that happened … waking up everyday would certainly not be a bonus for me or for anyone.