Embracing Gratitude in Everything (Week 22)

Gratitude isn't about the number of things on your list, or even about the quality of things on your list. Or if we want to back up even more, it's not even about a list at all! Instead, it's about recognizing that everything is a gift. The good, the bad, the difficult, the glorious, and the mundane. In biblical terms - in everything, give thanks!

This week, for example, I went walking with a friend. Now, if you know me at all (or if you have read the blog), you know that I am not a fan of exercise. I would much rather be sitting on a couch, laying in a hammock, or enjoying the gentle rocking of a porch swing while I idly pass the time with a book. I am, by nature, lazy, and I openly acknowledge that, though try not to give in too often.

In the hour leading up to our walk, I was dreading it. At this point I feel that I should clarify that we're not exactly doing Olympic speed walking (though, wow, a whole post could be written on that one!), so it's not a difficult workout, but more of a, "hey, at least I'm off the couch" kind of event. Still, being a born couch potato, I was already blowing it up in my mind, but I went, I walked, I survived.

So what does that have to do with gratitude? As I was thinking about this post, I realized that walking/exercise was one area where I was not practicing the habit of gratitude. Rather than complain about how I "had" to go walking to try to fit back into my summer shorts, why was I not expressing gratefulness for the ability to walk?

I have two good legs, good health, I'm not wildly overweight (in fact, I'm probably well within the "healthy" figures on a medical chart), I can breathe without effort, and I work in a job that gives me the flexibility to walk when my friend is free. In about 10 seconds I came up with five things to be grateful for, just in connection with exercise! Add to that the financial ability to buy high quality athletic shoes that keep my feet from hurting, living in a safe area for neighborhood walking, and a friend to walk with, and you can begin to see just how pathetic I am.

Oh yes, I'm good at being grateful about most things, but this week... 

I'm grateful to be able to walk.

No, the picture doesn't fit the topic, but one of the things that I'm thankful for this week are the company-issued business cards that came in the mail - a first for me, discounting cards that I designed and printed at home in the past!

What are YOU grateful for this week?