Gratitude

I'm With Piglet

“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of gratitude.”

A.A. Milne (Winnie-the-Pooh)

There was a segment on the evening news recently about a 98 year old woman who is still teaching yoga every day and going regularly to ballroom dancing. She was vivacious and quite beautiful. The interviewer asked her what kept her in such high spirits and great energy. Her answer was, “Well, I just wake up each day and say, 'This is going to be the best day of my life!'” I was so impressed with her attitude, that I've been putting her mantra into practice. “This will be the best day of my life.”

Yesterday, I was in CVS buying some vitamins and such, and when I went to pay, couldn't find my debit card. I scoured every pocket of my wallet to no avail. So I checked out using a credit card, something I try hard not to do. Moving through my errands, I drove to Home Depot to get shelf brackets and garden nippers. While I was wandering around in the store (as people are prone to do in those big-box stores) the PA system came on and a woman's voice called out, “Jane Philips, please come to the service desk.” What! No one knew I was there. Both sons were at work. What on earth! So, I went to find out. The woman behind the service desk asked me for identification, and after examining my driver's license, handed me my debit card. Someone had just found it in the parking lot and turned it in. Here's the clincher—I hadn't been in Home Depot since the previous Friday—four days ago! And, just by chance, I happened to be in the store when someone found it in the parking lot! And, just because they had an honest heart, they turned it in! I checked out and drove straight to the bank. Nothing had been withdrawn—no activity at all—and my federal tax refund had just dropped into the account. Now, that is some incredibly good luck! That is alignment of the stars! I believe in the “energy stuff.” What you put out, is what you attract.

Most of the spiritual leaders of our time suggest that gratitude is key to having a happy life. Being grateful for what you already have is prerequisite to being happy and content with what comes next. The bountiful times, as well as the lean times, require equal gratitude—one for the sheer abundance and good fortune, and the other for the experience, the opportunity to discover what you're made of. You will certainly have both experiences many times in one lifetime, maybe even in one day. The only thing that makes a difference is your attitude. Today, I'm with Piglet! How about you?

                                                In the Spirit,

                                                     Jane