Gratitude – Page 2 – Inspiration for the Mind, Body & Soul

Embrace Today

“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Each day is filled with ups and downs…good and bad…pain and regret. And you must be careful not to carry the baggage of yesterday into today. You cannot change what has already happened, but you can treat each morning as a new opportunity to try again so don’t waste it by being encumbered by the regrets of yesterday.

Gratitude for Your Life

“No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life. Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs. Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing.”

― Shreyasi Phukon

I’ve said it time and time again, life is truly a privilege that so many of us take for granted. Yes, we all go through difficult times. Yes, life can really suck at times. But guess what? You still have your life. There are others out there fighting for their right to exist. People who would give anything to go through your struggles because it would mean they at least have life. So, each day take a moment to simply say thank you for being alive, even though life isn’t perfect. Never forget that you are truly blessed to even get an opportunity to go through the ups and downs of life. . .the chance to try again each day. So, instead of focusing on what you don’t have, try focusing on all the good that surrounds you. Make an effort to express gratitude for your life.

Seek Answers

Life is filled with unanswered questions, but it is the courage to seek those answers that continues to give meaning to life. You can spend your life wallowing in despair, wondering why you were the one who was led towards the road strewn with pain, or you can be grateful that you are strong enough to survive it.

― J.D. Stroube

Life can be devastatingly painful at times. This is a simple fact we all have personally experienced. But the key is not to allow ourselves to wallow in our despair and misery when things go horribly wrong. You must find comfort and gratitude that you are strong enough to overcome your struggles. You must dig deep and find the courage to continue to seek those unanswered questions in life. Always fight to live and not simply exist.

As You Go Through Life

by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Don’t look for the flaws as you go through life;
And even when you find them,
It is wise and kind to be somewhat blind
And look for the virtue behind them.
For the cloudiest night has a hint of light
Somewhere in its shadows hiding;
It is better by far to hunt for a star,
Than the spots on the sun abiding.

The current of life runs ever away
To the bosom of God’s great ocean.
Don’t set your force ‘gainst the river’s course
And think to alter its motion.
Don’t waste a curse on the universe –
Remember it lived before you.
Don’t butt at the storm with your puny form,
But bend and let it go o’er you.

The world will never adjust itself
To suit your whims to the letter.
Some things must go wrong your whole life long,
And the sooner you know it the better.
It is folly to fight with the Infinite,
And go under at last in the wrestle;
The wiser man shapes into God’s plan
As water shapes into a vessel.

Life is an experience meant to be had – don’t fight it. Don’t waste time dissecting every aspect of it and end up overanalyzing life’s journey. Don’t be overly critical, for you will undoubtedly make mistakes – so, learn from them and move forward along the path you have chosen. And at the end of the day, try to relax and enjoy the ride.

Wonder

by Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi

Wonder,
A garden among the flames!
My heart can take on any form:
A meadow for gazelles,
A cloister for monks,
For the idols, sacred ground,
Ka’ba for the circling pilgrim,
The tables of the Torah,
The scrolls of the Quran.
My creed is Love;
Wherever its caravan turns along the way,
That is my belief,
My faith.

As we begin another week, remember it is a time of new beginnings – a time to start anew and lay down the burdens of yesterday. When you first open your eyes, allow wonder and love to fill your soul. In your moment of solitude, allow yourself to really see and feel the beauty that surrounds you.

A True Friend

Poem by LeKeisha Suggs

A true friend shares in your most joyous moments
And encourages you when things get tough
While guarding your back against your opponents
And refuses to walk away when times get rough

A true friend shares in laughter for hours on end
And lends a shoulder to cry on when things fall apart
Who will tell you that your outfit is nowhere on trend
And who may be far in distance but never far in heart

A true friend warms your soul with just their presence
And stands by your side – no questions asked
Who says, “I can’t wait to share this,” in your absence
And is there to lift you up when you’re feeling downcast

A true friend accepts you for who you are
And loves you in spite of your flaws
Who’s very presence shines brighter than any star
And who supports you without a moment’s pause

A true friend should never be taken for granted
And is one to cherish and to fight for
Who makes your life feel enchanted
For in this life, a true friend is a rare gift to score

To find a true friend is a rare gift, indeed. It isn’t a matter of how long you have known someone or how near or far they are. What matters is the value and enrichment the person brings to your life and your heart. Does that person lift you up? Are you happier when you leave their presence? If yes, then treasure that friendship and put in the work to not let it die or fade away.

I dedicate this poem to my closest friends – you are the family I have chosen. Thank you for inspiring me every day!!

A Beautiful Life

Poem by LeKeisha Suggs

What a beautiful life each of us are given
Yet so many of us fail to love it enough
We blindly rush through life – then ask to be forgiven
We make excuses that life is just too tough

And we don’t allow ourselves to see the beauty all around
It’s such a shame, as time waits for no one
So, each day take a moment to embrace nature’s sweet sounds
For there is no guarantee that tomorrow will bring the Sun

As we begin a new week, remember it is a time of new beginnings. Don’t take any moments for granted and try to take time to smell the roses! Enjoy and have a blessed week!!

Hold on to Your Friends

“I think if I’ve learned anything about friendship, it’s to hang in, stay connected, fight for them, and let them fight for you. Don’t walk away, don’t be distracted, don’t be too busy or tired, don’t take them for granted. Friends are part of the glue that holds life and faith together. Powerful stuff.”

― Jon Katz

To find a true friend in this world is such a rare and beautiful thing. We so often label acquaintances and people who come in and out of our lives for a season as “friends.” But, those aren’t true friends. Don’t get me wrong, acquaintances are great to have and provide joy in your life in varying capacities. However, a true friend is someone who is there to celebrate your highs, to support you when you’re struggling and to hold you when the dam breaks. A true friend doesn’t ask for anything in return. A true friend is there, without any hesitation, to stand on the front lines ready to go into battle for or with you. A true friend is simply there-no questions asked. If you are fortunate enough to experience such a friendship in your life, you better be willing to fight for it and never take it for granted.

The Joy of Life

Improvement

Poem by Edgar Albert Guest

The joy of life is living it, or so it seems to me;
In finding shackles on your wrists, then struggling till you’re free;
In seeing wrongs and righting them, in dreaming splendid dreams,
Then toiling till the vision is as real as moving streams.
The happiest mortal on the earth is he who ends his day
By leaving better than he found to bloom along the way.
Were all things perfect here there would be naught for man to do;
If what is old were good enough we’d never need the new.
The only happy time of rest is that which follows strife
And sees some contribution made unto the joy of life.
And he who has oppression felt and conquered it is he
Who really knows the happiness and peace of being free.
The miseries of earth are here and with them all must cope.
Who seeks for joy, through hedges thick of care and pain must grope.
Through disappointment man must go to value pleasure’s thrill;
To really know the joy of health a man must first be ill.
The wrongs are here for man to right, and happiness is had
By striving to supplant with good the evil and the bad.
The joy of life is living it and doing things of worth,
In making bright and fruitful all the barren spots of earth.
In facing odds and mastering them and rising from defeat,
And making true what once was false, and what was bitter, sweet.
For only he knows perfect joy whose little bit of soil
Is richer ground than what it was when he began to toil.

What is a good life? What is the measure of a life well lived? These are questions that we all ask as we navigate our way through life. And for me, I like to reframe the question to the following: “When my time is up and I pass on from this life, what do I want to be remembered for and what kind of person do I want to be remembered as? And the answer is simple; I want to be remembered for having left this world a better place than when I came into it. I want to leave a positive footprint. I also want to be remembered as a person who shared love in a world full of hate. This is my legacy in the making. . .what will yours be?

Be Grateful for Each Day

Each day be thankful for all you have and appreciate the opportunity to live this day.

~ Kate Summers

I believe it is important to take a moment every day and think about at least three things you are grateful for. It can be as simple as saying –

I’m grateful for waking up with my health.
I’m grateful for the loving friends and family that provide their unwavering support without asking for anything in return.
I’m grateful for having reliable transportation to get me to and from work.

The whole point of this exercise is to remind yourself that it is a blessing to wake up each morning and live another day. Nothing in this life is promised. . .tomorrow is not a given. So, even though life isn’t perfect, you have a lot to be appreciative of and you should always strive to focus on the good that surrounds you rather than the bad. Whether you experience the true measure of life depends upon the lens you are viewing it from. The choice is, and always has been, yours. . .