“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. –Marcel Proust
During some of the darker days of my life, I found myself trying a technique recommended by Sarah Breathnach , author of a wonderful little book that was popular some years ago, Simple Abundance. The author recommends at the end of each day, write down 5 things for which you are grateful. After a few days I was drawn to doing this in the morning, reflecting on the previous day. I soon found that I was spending some time each day looking for things for which I was grateful. It changed my whole outlook.
Take a look at Simple Abundance at your local library. I’m a great library fan. At my age I have very little interest in buying books (I rarely read them more than once; I seem to be more inclined to be thinning out my possessions than I am adding to them.) The book is a sort of daybook with inspirational thoughts for each day of the year. One of my favorite parts is at the beginning of each month, there is a list of simple, inexpensive pleasures/activities suggested. If you like the book, it is one I have purchased (however, I have loaned it out, and have no idea where it is now,) you might want to own it.
The website www.abebooks.com is great for finding cheap used books and out-of-print books. Even Amazon.com has used books for sale now.
I think I’m feeling especially grateful today, because my shoulder replacement surgery went so well (my definition of that is that I had considerably less pain than I expected, the wound was smaller than I thought it would be, and it healed very quickly, I was out of the hospital in less than 24 hours and back to work in a week. I’m feeling like some sort of fraud still wearing this classy sling, but I should be done with that this week.) Life is good.
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