Finding Gratitude

The kids and I stopped at a local diner for lunch yesterday. Midway through our meal, a group of older women sat in the booth behind us.

Soon after they sat down, one said, “It’s so noisy in here. Everywhere we go it’s always so noisy.”

Another replied, “Well, thank God. At least we can still hear.”

I couldn’t help but think how that is the fundamental choice that all of us have – to complain about the noise, or to be thankful that we can hear it.

That’s certainly not to say that there aren’t times in our lives when things go wrong, but I suspect there are many times when the things we complain about are really a matter of perspective.

Several months ago, I added a simple question to my children’s bedtime routine: “What are you thankful for?” My daughter usually comes up with something from the day that she is particularly happy about. My son has a standard answer: “Popcorn.”

It’s not so much the answers I care about as much as teaching my children that in all of our lives, no matter how hard the day might have been, there is something for which we can be grateful.

I want them to learn to see the half full glass, to be thankful that they can still hear rather than to complain about the noise.

Unfortunately, I’m not sure I’m always so good at following that myself. I know there are times – especially when life seems too busy, our obligations too many, and my coping skills too few – that I complain about the things that irritate me rather than celebrate the things that bring me joy.

November seems a good month to focus on the things that bring me joy, to take a few moments to name those things for which I’m thankful.

So today I’m asking myself the same question I ask my children daily – what am I thankful for? Today – it’s for beautiful fall weather, which we’ve had a lot of recently, and for the fact that we were ending trick or treating, and not beginning it, last night when the light drizzle turned into a downpour. Yes, we were wet by the time we made it back to the car, but at least the kids got to enjoy their Halloween.

What about you? How often do you complain about the noise rather than celebrate the fact you can hear? What brings you joy – even for a moment – in the busyness of your life?

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