Path
of Gratitude
“I
don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness—it’s right in front
of me if I’m paying attention.”
Brene
Brown
These
last few days have been hard. Let’s face it, these last few years have been
hard—even for us first-world folks. The SCOTUS decision was just icing on the
cake—for women, even ones my age who will never need an abortion, this decision
to overturn Roe was a kick in the gut. It was difficult simply because we don’t
know how this will end—will all the progress toward “equal under the law” go
away? Who knows? It underscores feelings of impotence on the part of women, and
indifference on the part of the Court. It feels as though the woman who carries the fetus is simply a disposable container. Those feelings are exceptionally
old and painful because women have felt them for so long—forever, really.
This
morning I found myself giving thanks for my sons—for having them in my life,
and for being my greatest joy. I gave thanks for the cooler weather after two weeks of temperatures in the high nineties with heat indexes above 100
degrees. Right now, I am sitting on my screen porch and a young hawk is in the
tree right outside. Perched on a limb right in front of my face, he’s waiting
for some hapless chipmunk to screw up and get too far from its hole. I give
thanks for both the porch and the hawk, and for the chipmunks who have riddled
my yard with holes. Their presence here is a joy.
The way
to overcome hopelessness is to acknowledge gratitude. Point to simple things in
your everyday life that cause you to feel thankful. Realize that life itself is
good no matter what SCOTUS does, no matter how divided we are, no matter what—life
is good and there are many things to be thankful for. Gratitude is the path to
happiness. Sometimes we have to drag ourselves to it, but once we start naming our
blessings, life feels better.
The day
will come when this decision will be seen as a momentary setback. Women will
grieve, regroup, equip themselves with righteous indignation, and begin again
to fight for equality. Remember that we are closer to it than we have ever been.
Stay the course. Don’t give up. Stand in your own truth; walk with your shoulders
back and your head high. United, we are unstoppable.
In
the Spirit,
Jane
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