19 August 2010

Finding gratitude

I've read back over a few things I've writted (both posted and unposted) recently and have spotted a bit of negativity creeping in. Hmmm, time to stop that in its tracks! There is such a lot to be grateful for in life and 'now' would seem like a good point to remind myself of just a few of those important things.

Health.
Not just my own (for which I am supremely grateful) but the health of those around me. OK, it may not be peachy-perfect health in a lot of cases... in fact, for many the opposite is true, but I still have most of my family and friends around me and, whilst I would wish better health for them all, I'm truly grateful for the fact that they are still with me. Having lost people really dear to me, the missing never stops, although lovely memories live on.

Beauty.
It is all around me, in nature, in people, and sometimes in the most unexpected places. Even the rainbow pattern of a drop of oil on a roadside puddle has a beauty... if we take just a moment to look for it. I need to open my eyes again to 'see' it and appreciate it.

Simplicity.
The little things of everyday life. The simple pleasure of biting into a crisp apple. The caress of a gentle breeze on a hot day. Hearing a forgotten song which triggers a lovely memory. The joy of quietly reading. A cool glass of water. Simple things which mean a lot. For these I'm grateful.

Love.

Probably the most important of the many things to be grateful for. The love shown in my darling lovely hubby's eyes, of course. The love of family and friends is up high on my list, but the love and kindness of strangers is a huge thing too. The sincerity and support shown by folk out in blogland is something which can surprise me (nicely) still. I mustn't take any of this for granted. There's a Turkish saying "İki gönül bir olunca samanlık seyran olur" or "If two loves each other even a hay-house is a paradise".

3 comments:

Chrissie said...

That's a lovely (and very positive!) post. Thanks for the reminder of the good things in life - I often miss or forget them too, so it was very cheering to read your thoughts!

South Beach Steve said...

It's good to stop and count our blessings every now and then. It's all too easy to overlook the good in our lives.

Fat Grump said...

Deniz, I share your appreciation for the beauty that is all around us and for the love I have in my life. Every now and then it doesn't hurt to remind ourselves how lucky we are. I too find great joy in simple things. I have been looking at the greeness of the garden today as the rain pours down. It's wet but so lovely out there - trees glstening in the rain as far as the eye can see. Me and the cat are glad of our shelter and each other's company too. Small pleasures etc :)

 
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