Attitude of Gratitude

My cousin posted on facebook:  "Would someone please slow down time this month so I can enjoy it?"  If only!  How many times have I wished to slow down time.  I think everyone feels that way when he is in the midst of loving life.  It happens more and more as we get older, especially if we have children, right?  And as most people do as they grow older, I've witnessed how suddenly life can be taken away.  My dear father-in-law, brother David, my faithful and loyal Bessie and my best friend Paula - all gone in the past 2 years.  With each loss I have had regrets and felt as if I did not appreciate them enough while I had them.

So I have practiced gratitude so much that it has become a running dialog in my head.  I thank God for this wonderful home, my phenomenal husband, my beautiful healthy children and on and on... And the list grows as I grow older - my grandchildren, good health.  And the simple things:  I thank God for the beautiful sunrise, the trees in my yard that I love so much, the birds that come to my feeder each day, a sunny spot in the dining room on a cold day.  The funny thing is, the more I practice gratitude, the more things I find to be grateful for.  It has become a habit, and it is changing my outlook on life.  When something does go wrong, if I find a way to see something positive in the situation I can move forward, rather than feeling sorry for myself. 

When my children were younger we would sit down to dinner together and ask the question "What are you thankful for today?"  It is something we haven't done for years, now that most of them are grown and out of the house.  I should start this tradition again.  My mantra has become "An attitude of gratitude".  My wish for you today is that you find something to be thankful for.