When it seems like everything is falling apart, it's sometimes hard to consider whether it could be worse, but there have definitely been times I could look at a situation and say, "well, at least it isn't our worst case scenario."
I laughed out loud when I read this posting...in a good way, with you, not at you. I've become aware -- these last couple of months as we've come out from under the COVID cloud -- that the pandemic (and the chaos-uncertainty-angst-whatever that has come with it) has made me much more CONSCIOUSLY grateful...and, I think, kinder,. Not surprisingly, these are habits I that I hope have now become ingrained in my daily interactions with others (...hum, is character the word I'm looking for to describe daily interactions?). Also, found Judy Atwater's comment about the role that breathing plays in gratitude most interesting...and will definitely be doing some serious thinking about why.
What a treat--to hear these little snippets of you and Anne together again! I'm ready for this day...with gratitude for "whatever" and "oh well" moments it carries :)
I had occasion to attend a very nice well done veterans program on the 11 th . Viet NM Vets were honored by a pin and a certificate. My husband wasn’t there because he wasn’t feeling well. (Better) today. I sat wit my Great Grandson whose father belongs to the military vet organization that put it in along with the Community in which we live Thank you it was lively and as a teacher etc I have “endured” many of these celebrations. This one I am grateful to have watched and participated in by singing clapping , appreciated the speaker etc. I am heartbroken that the spouses of the military men who served during Viet Nam were not also recognized as a group. I realize I was “too late” so be it but I am also heartbroken that the military very quietly told me that Veterans day was only for the military not their spouses. I highly respect this person but the uniqueness of Viet Nam is many families and spouses were involved in decisions to serve and the sacrifices and maybe not serving in a military unit perse encountered civilian hostility just because our cars had military stickers on them. We were lucky enough to have supportive senior officer to us and care and we were state side but not all of my family and generation. I have cried at the wall in DC I have grieved over the years. I am grateful for my life in this country But I am grateful for those who chose alternative ways and most of all for all the families who also serve and don’t need it expect pins and recognition. And I am grateful for this community and I loved coming to the zoom and seeing people in person. God’s Blessings be upon us ALL please even if I don’t always recognize it. I am still learning.
I am really enjoying this series. Several years ago on a trip to Israel the pastor leading the trip shared with many of us a very simple blessing for our meals. He started off with the simple phrase of I’m thankful then turned to the person sitting next to him and asked “are you thankful”. And this continues around the table. That simple phrase has become a mantra with me. I’m thankful!!
I have a request I only have the audiobook of Grateful. Could you please include the chapter along with the page numbers. Thank you
I RESPOND TO YOUR RESPONSE TO THE LEAK IN YOUR HOMED ESPECIALLY YOUR MOVE TOWARD GRATEFULNESS FOR WHAT YOU HAVE AND THAT IT COULD BE WORSE. YOU MODEL WHAT DAILY GRATEFULNESS IS. THANK YOU
I have experienced this, “upward spiral” of well being over the years to where it’s now, my new normal. I was introduced to practicing gratitude by my Alanon group in the 1990’s. I used various methods and reminders at first, but then began, before bed, writing down five things I was grateful for that day. This practice has been the difference. So grateful 🙏
I use the Simple Abundance Journal of Gratitude book to write my five gratitudes each day.
Our water heater died a couple of weeks ago. Its replacement included added a hard water filter. And while I wasn’t excited for the unexpected situation, like you, I felt grateful. Mostly, grateful because I knew in this moment, we had the ability to deal with it properly.
This ability to find the gratitude amidst the “panic” (however big or small) is a beautiful thing!
Love Pat Schneider's poem "The Patience of Ordinary Things"! Thank you, Diana, for all of the work and love that you are putting into this series. I am grateful for you!
These past two weeks of gratitude teachings from The Cottage have been wonderful and so helpful! I’ve been sharing some of the insights with our Friday morning prayer group, and everyone is glad to be receiving them.
Nobody works harder on their Substack than you, Diane. What a treasure-trove of teachings and inspiration! I’m grateful.💕
I read, and really enjoyed Freeing Jesus and I told Robert in the book you mentioned a monk you used to see there but I couldn't remember if the name was Robert. That's also part of being almost 75. I will see him at Diurnum and will say hi for you.
On Tuesday, I was sitting in a wheelchair waiting for a post-surgical appointment at Johns Hopkins burn clinic and feeling sorry for myself for having 27 post-burn surgeries and still being unable to walk without pain.
A tiny woman limped up to the registration desk, and I noticed that both of her hands ended in scarred stumps. At almost the same time, a young man left after his appointment, walking with a prosthetic right leg and a horribly scarred left.
I immediately thought to myself: “It could have been worse.” I recalled one of the burn surgeons at Washington hospital revealing that he and the team had discussed amputating the foot that had just had a surgical repair performed by a skilled plastic surgeon.
And I thanked God again for pulling me out of the fire, for keeping me alive, for saving my foot, for all God’s good and perfect gifts.
As an R.N. on the PICC team in our hospital, I spent a good deal of time on the Burn Unit. With 27 post-burn surgeries it is understandable for anyone to feel sorry for themselves! Your witness concerning “it could be worse” and finding gratefulness under those circumstances are an encouragement to us all. Thank you for the gift of your sharing. Prayers for your continued healing. 🙏
When it seems like everything is falling apart, it's sometimes hard to consider whether it could be worse, but there have definitely been times I could look at a situation and say, "well, at least it isn't our worst case scenario."
I laughed out loud when I read this posting...in a good way, with you, not at you. I've become aware -- these last couple of months as we've come out from under the COVID cloud -- that the pandemic (and the chaos-uncertainty-angst-whatever that has come with it) has made me much more CONSCIOUSLY grateful...and, I think, kinder,. Not surprisingly, these are habits I that I hope have now become ingrained in my daily interactions with others (...hum, is character the word I'm looking for to describe daily interactions?). Also, found Judy Atwater's comment about the role that breathing plays in gratitude most interesting...and will definitely be doing some serious thinking about why.
What a treat--to hear these little snippets of you and Anne together again! I'm ready for this day...with gratitude for "whatever" and "oh well" moments it carries :)
Thanks for sharing, what is value!
I had occasion to attend a very nice well done veterans program on the 11 th . Viet NM Vets were honored by a pin and a certificate. My husband wasn’t there because he wasn’t feeling well. (Better) today. I sat wit my Great Grandson whose father belongs to the military vet organization that put it in along with the Community in which we live Thank you it was lively and as a teacher etc I have “endured” many of these celebrations. This one I am grateful to have watched and participated in by singing clapping , appreciated the speaker etc. I am heartbroken that the spouses of the military men who served during Viet Nam were not also recognized as a group. I realize I was “too late” so be it but I am also heartbroken that the military very quietly told me that Veterans day was only for the military not their spouses. I highly respect this person but the uniqueness of Viet Nam is many families and spouses were involved in decisions to serve and the sacrifices and maybe not serving in a military unit perse encountered civilian hostility just because our cars had military stickers on them. We were lucky enough to have supportive senior officer to us and care and we were state side but not all of my family and generation. I have cried at the wall in DC I have grieved over the years. I am grateful for my life in this country But I am grateful for those who chose alternative ways and most of all for all the families who also serve and don’t need it expect pins and recognition. And I am grateful for this community and I loved coming to the zoom and seeing people in person. God’s Blessings be upon us ALL please even if I don’t always recognize it. I am still learning.
The ceremony was lovely and sedate not lively LOL There May be other typos or auto correct and I apologize
I am really enjoying this series. Several years ago on a trip to Israel the pastor leading the trip shared with many of us a very simple blessing for our meals. He started off with the simple phrase of I’m thankful then turned to the person sitting next to him and asked “are you thankful”. And this continues around the table. That simple phrase has become a mantra with me. I’m thankful!!
I have a request I only have the audiobook of Grateful. Could you please include the chapter along with the page numbers. Thank you
I would also appreciate having the pages included.
I RESPOND TO YOUR RESPONSE TO THE LEAK IN YOUR HOMED ESPECIALLY YOUR MOVE TOWARD GRATEFULNESS FOR WHAT YOU HAVE AND THAT IT COULD BE WORSE. YOU MODEL WHAT DAILY GRATEFULNESS IS. THANK YOU
I have experienced this, “upward spiral” of well being over the years to where it’s now, my new normal. I was introduced to practicing gratitude by my Alanon group in the 1990’s. I used various methods and reminders at first, but then began, before bed, writing down five things I was grateful for that day. This practice has been the difference. So grateful 🙏
I use the Simple Abundance Journal of Gratitude book to write my five gratitudes each day.
I am thankful to be part of this community. I appreciate all the stories shared. There is love and kindness in many places.
Thanks for your conversation with Anne Lamott.
Perfect for today!
In the words of the late great saint Gilda Radner “It’s always something.”
To which I respond “Ain’t it the truth!”
Many loving commiserations to you and hubby in this stressful time.
To which I add: somewhere in Psychology 101 I remember the term “counter-irritant.” Shall have to look it up.
❤️❤️❤️
I truly hope your plumbing is easily dealt with.
Our water heater died a couple of weeks ago. Its replacement included added a hard water filter. And while I wasn’t excited for the unexpected situation, like you, I felt grateful. Mostly, grateful because I knew in this moment, we had the ability to deal with it properly.
This ability to find the gratitude amidst the “panic” (however big or small) is a beautiful thing!
Love Pat Schneider's poem "The Patience of Ordinary Things"! Thank you, Diana, for all of the work and love that you are putting into this series. I am grateful for you!
These past two weeks of gratitude teachings from The Cottage have been wonderful and so helpful! I’ve been sharing some of the insights with our Friday morning prayer group, and everyone is glad to be receiving them.
Nobody works harder on their Substack than you, Diane. What a treasure-trove of teachings and inspiration! I’m grateful.💕
I read, and really enjoyed Freeing Jesus and I told Robert in the book you mentioned a monk you used to see there but I couldn't remember if the name was Robert. That's also part of being almost 75. I will see him at Diurnum and will say hi for you.
On Tuesday, I was sitting in a wheelchair waiting for a post-surgical appointment at Johns Hopkins burn clinic and feeling sorry for myself for having 27 post-burn surgeries and still being unable to walk without pain.
A tiny woman limped up to the registration desk, and I noticed that both of her hands ended in scarred stumps. At almost the same time, a young man left after his appointment, walking with a prosthetic right leg and a horribly scarred left.
I immediately thought to myself: “It could have been worse.” I recalled one of the burn surgeons at Washington hospital revealing that he and the team had discussed amputating the foot that had just had a surgical repair performed by a skilled plastic surgeon.
And I thanked God again for pulling me out of the fire, for keeping me alive, for saving my foot, for all God’s good and perfect gifts.
As an R.N. on the PICC team in our hospital, I spent a good deal of time on the Burn Unit. With 27 post-burn surgeries it is understandable for anyone to feel sorry for themselves! Your witness concerning “it could be worse” and finding gratefulness under those circumstances are an encouragement to us all. Thank you for the gift of your sharing. Prayers for your continued healing. 🙏