Wednesday, April 21, 2021

I am Grateful

 

Like Piglet

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

A.A. Milne

          I survived my Jung After Work talk. I had so much help, and just about everybody I love showed up on Zoom. A woman I’ve been corresponding with via email for years, came, and I saw her face and heard her voice for the first time! My own analyst was there. And my niece. And so many friends. I felt surrounded by people who were simply there to support me. I must tell you, like Piglet, my heart contains a whole lot of gratitude—more than I know how to express.

          Gratitude is a funny thing; it seems to blot out everything else, especially anything negative. Charlotte Bronte called it “a divine emotion” saying that “it fills the heart, but not to bursting; warms it, but not to fever.” That sounds right to me. I can be in the worst mood, and something happens for which I am grateful, and that bad mood instantly shifts. Gratitude fills me up, and just eases badness on out the door.

          The Derek Chauvin verdict yesterday was cause for gratitude—not for the fact that another human being is going to prison for life, but because it showed a tiny crack in the justice system. Tiny, and way late, and only a beginning, but still, even a small crack can let in a lot of light. And, Lord knows, we need all the light we can get. I feel thankful, too, that George Floyd’s life was not lost in vain—for the possibility that something good will come from his death. And, once again, I am amazed that one human being, flaws and all, can cause such a shift in human consciousness around the world. I wonder whether this verdict will be a turning point for America. I pray for George Floyd’s family, that they may now know peace, and for Derek Chauvin and his family, that they may find the strength to bear their sorrow.

          G.K. Chesterton said this about gratitude: “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” I want to thank you for making my life so much better.

                                                  In the Spirit,

                                                  Jane

No comments: