Week 1, Day 6: Gratitude

I am starting to wonder if there is a theme of despair in my life... or maybe it's a general struggle I have been having because of this time of my life. I often find myself asking the Lord questions of when? who? how long? I yearn for many wonderful blessings, with yearnings that are very righteous, yet here I sitting hoping patiently (and often not-so-patiently) for blessings not yet bestowed to me.

Today, I went to a bridal shower for my best friend's little sister and it was fun. I can't even count on four hands (I'd have to borrow a pair of hands to be able to count on four hands!) how many weddings and receptions I have been to this year. I have a thousand blessings, but then I see my friends getting married and now so many of them are having babies and suddenly I want more.

Then tonight, I read the blog of a dear friend, one who had a rough day. She is a wife of a graduate student who is doing really well in his education and career. She has a new son that is sweet and happy. She lives in a big, exciting city. Yet, even with that, she had challenges and discouragement. As I thought about her and her life, I found myself thinking, "You know, her life is exactly what I want. How can she still have difficulties and discouragement?" Then I hear myself saying that I wouldn't let myself feel that way if I had those blessings!

But you know what? Even if I had both of those blessings now, I would probably feel dissatisfaction and discontent because I let myself feel that way now.

So, what was my friend's solution to her rough day? Gratitude. Gratitude for her many blessings, and those most important in her life. Then she went through and listed them. I, too, am grateful for what I have: a pleasant and comfortable life, wonderful family, great friends, darling nieces and nephews, a job that I love, good health, the wonderful gospel, a Savior... so, so very many things.

Also, I decided to look up gratitude in the topics section of LDS.org, which is a really great resource for study, btw. Here is what it said:

A grateful heart is the beginning of greatness. Gratitude builds humility as we recognize an act of kindness, service, or caring from someone else. True gratitude is a foundation for faith, courage, contentment, happiness, love, and well-being. Being grateful leads us to look outside ourselves and turn to the bestower of the blessings.

As we regularly express our gratitude to our Heavenly Father, we cultivate an uplifting attitude. The Savior has promised, "He who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious" (D&C 78:19). Bitterness, resentful feelings, or mean-spiritedness cannot exist in a grateful heart. Greater happiness is achieved as deeper gratitude is developed.

Beginning of greatness, builds humility, foundation for faith, courage, CONTENTMENT, happ[y]ness, love, and well-being, look outside ourselves, turn to the bestower of the blessions, uplifiting attitude, etc, etc, etc.

These are all the characteristics of gratitude and a grateful heart. How grateful I am for this eye-opening experience... and for the following video, one of my very favorites of all time: