What is it that I believe so strongly about?

Did you think I was going to say Santa, since it’s Christmas time?

That’s not the direction I was going with this, but you know Santa lives in our hearts…

No, I was going to talk on my favorite subject…

~~ Gratitude ~~

I’ve been through a lot personally this year, and it’s really tough to practice gratitude for the tough times. I can always find other reasons to be grateful such as:

• My health
• My kids
• My job
• My friends
• etc…

But it’s in times like these that I find it tough to be grateful for everything that’s happening to me. For example, my car broke down on Sunday and I’ve been bumming rides to work (which I’m grateful for my son, Brandon, and my friend, Jamie who graciously stepped up.) The car was rumbling and the check engine light was coming on so I dropped it off to see what it was and get it fixed.

Yesterday, the mechanic called to tell me that he thought it may be the plugs because they were terribly worn out and the wires were shot too. He recommended a full tune up, replacing both. He later called back to tell me that the misfire was still happening and he’ll try the next thing which was the ignition coil.

Well, that did it! (much gratitude for it being fixed!)

However…

It cost $500, and that was my car payment and Christmas money (I didn’t get to finish my shopping since the car broke down.) So, I guess you could say I’m a little bummed about not getting much for my kids and just not having the money to get my friends anything.

I am always reaching for the gratitude. Where is it here? I told my friend, Troy, that I think my lesson here is to get the true spirit of Christmas and realize it’s not about giving monetary gifts. It’s about loving yourself and others and giving OF yourself.

And for that I’m grateful.

When I stopped to get my mail on the way home, I received a package with several books in it. When I opened the box, sitting on top was Giving Thanks: The Gifts of Gratitude by MJ Ryan. (I will be reviewing it later)

How appropriate.

The first quote on the inside of the book is:

Life will bring you pain all by itself. Your responsibility is to create joy.
- Milton Erickson, M.D.

Ahhhhhhh, how great I always get the messages I need to hear right when I need them!

Looking Through the Eyes of Gratitude

It got me to thinking that if I just show my gratitude IN the situation, but not necessarily FOR the situation, things somehow always seem to look up. It’s as if I just pull off the blinders and see the situation in a different light.

Interestingly enough, once I stepped back and closed the doors on my personal pity party, I started to feel much better.

Just think how fortunate I am:

• I have a vehicle to drive and if taken care of properly, gets me around just fine.
• I learned the lesson that an oil change every 3000 miles isn’t enough.
• I was able to move my car payment out to my next paycheck to pay for the repairs.
• I found an honest mechanic who hand wrote out everything he did and why.
• I’m living in a household with wonderful, special people who know the meaning of giving of themselves.
• We’re no longer walking on eggshells like when I was married.
• My ex is finally getting the divorce started.
• I feel better physically than I have in years.
• I have the most wonderful family and friends.

How just really thinking about what IS right in my life raises my vibration and lightens my load. I seem to find the one thing we all want… HOPE.

I KNOW I’ll be alright. I KNOW my family will understand. I KNOW they love me. I KNOW the upcoming year is going to change everything. I KNOW this for sure:

It’s my time.

And sometimes, you just need a reminder smacking you upside the head to remind you just how lucky you already are.

And so my car cost $500 to fix…

SO WHAT???

It’s a small price to pay for a priceless lesson that’s perfectly in tune with the season…

Thank you for the lesson.

Lesson learned.

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