Seeking Extraordinary Gratitude for Ordinary Days
By Darla Isackson
As I learn to see the world and my stay on this planet with more grateful eyes, I find many reasons for thanksgiving in each ordinary day. Even the commonplace begins to sparkle when I cultivate the art of really noticing my surroundings, the people around me, and the unfolding of life each day.
To illustrate, the other day, my grandson and I were enjoying the Indian summer sun in my backyard after I gave him a haircut. He picked up a tuft of hair and threw it to the wind. I was standing at such an angle that the sun turned the tiny pieces of hair into a shower of light and this precious child’s head into a crown of gold. I was breathless with wonder at the sight. This commonplace moment brought me pure joy.
The noted scientist Huxley stated, “For every man, the world is as fresh as it was the first day, and as full of untold novelties for him who has the eyes to see them.” I’ve found that to be true; when I adjust my sights, I still find wonder in my world.
Being Thankful for Ordinary Things
Even the simplest things can become reasons for thanksgiving when we are in the mindset of gratitude. I remember when I returned from living overseas where hot water was a luxury, I determined I would never get into a hot shower without giving thanks. Every bite of good food, every piece of comfortable clothing, every strain of uplifting music, every beautiful thing in nature or in our homes, every ray of sunshine in our lives can become reasons for thanks. So why do I sometimes forget that focus?
A long-time friend called one evening after she received a piece of my writing—an essay I thought would give her some comfort. (She was in her 90s and facing many challenges.) Much to my surprise, she sensed the pain I had been feeling when I wrote it, and expressed concern for me. She said, “Darla, you’ve always been a bit too serious about life. Don’t you know you can just enjoy the sparkle of the snow—you don’t always have to shovel it!”
I think I have spent too much of my life shoveling the snow instead of enjoying its sparkle. Only now, in my later years, am I learning to relax and express gratitude for what is, rather than worry about what isn’t.
The Choice Is Mine
The philosopher Epictetus said, “What you have may seem small; you desire so much more. See children thrusting their hands into a narrow-necked jar, striving to pull out the sweets. If they fill the hand, they cannot pull it out and then they fall to tears. When they let go a few, they can draw out the rest. You, too, let your desire go; covet not too much . . .”
I don’t need to ruminate on disappointments or worry about what I don’t have, but I can rejoice in what I have been given, the marvel of the good things I have experienced. I don’t need to shovel the snow of my past, either, but just enjoy the sparkle of the present.
When I focus my thoughts on all that sparkles in my life, that perspective crowds out self-pity, resentment, and pain. As I change my focus, I find myself more adept at seeking and using God’s help to manage my life as I seek for more order and serenity.
The Healing Power of Gratitude
Another friend of mine lost her father recently. He was her hero; her sense of loss caused her to fall into depression. Several months after his death, I was walking with her beside a lake as the sun was coming up. The sky was painted with light and the air was fresh with promise. She told me about her discovery that gratitude was the key to overcoming her depression.
She said, “One morning in the shower, I was crying but decided to sing, ‘Count your many blessings; name them one by one.’ As my tears were washed away by the hot water, I thought of all I still had, and my paralyzing grief began to be washed away, too.”
Season of Thanksgiving
Whether we keep a gratitude journal, spend a moment each night recounting the good things, or make it a point to express more gratitude to God, family, and other people in our lives, gratitude is an essential part of happy living. We don’t need to wait until something extraordinary happens to be grateful. Extraordinary thankfulness for ordinary blessings in ordinary days keeps the sparkle in our lives.