Gratitude - The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
The word itself is derived from Anglo-French and Medi-evil Latin words, "gratitudo" and "gratus", which simple mean "grateful". Or, if you prefer: "thankful".
It really is such a simple quality, and a quality, indeed.
I had a bad day today. Or so I thought. Until I read one of my old school-friends blogs this evening, and realized just how easy my day was compared to what she is going through.
Meet Mandy:
Click here to meet Mandy
We went to high school together, like a million years ago. (ten years, if you must know) I haven't seen Mandy since we left school, but we have remained distantly in touch by the great Facebook. I've watched silently as she got married, started her life, began a business, faced some personal battles... One thing I've never forgotten about Mandy, from school, is her spunk, her perseverance, and her outright stubbornness She was, without doubt, the most bloody-minded, headstrong girl in our class.
Which I believe is a quality that the Almighty must have given her, because if there's anything she needs right now, it's to be a headstrong, stubborn, not-taking-no-crap-from-nobody kind of lady. You see, never would anyone have dreamed that she would be faced with a battle as mortifying as the fight against metastatic gastric cancer. Her battle isn't going so well, at present. (read her blog)
And this has had me thinking for a few weeks now, about the nature of life, and how we experience it.
Today was one such day... I got up today, feeling fresh, healthy, maybe a just tad groggy from a wonderful, busy and extremely fulfilling weekend. I had a shower, washed my hair, had a healthy breakfast, popped a few multivitamins and went on my way. I got stuck in some horrendous traffic, and was half an hour late for work. I arrived to find that a crisis had invaded my work-space, and I absolutely lost my cool in a way that I seldom do. My morning was a myriad of up's and downs as I faced the day's events, and I was only too glad to call it a day when the clock finally hit home-time this afternoon.
I thought it was kind-of a rough day, you know? I got home, feeling weary and a little bit edgy. I powered up my laptop and it wasn't long before stumbled across Mandy's latest blog entry... and immediately felt so, so, so convicted. So cut to the heart. I had a rough day???
(Seriously now, read Mandy's blog immediately for the full affect of this statement)
There is a song that I listen to when I'm having a "rough day" (although I am in the process of re-evaluating what really constitutes to being a "rough day"). Rocking to this song, admitting that I'm Not Okay... well it makes me feel okay after all... It makes me smile, take a deep breath, and sigh. I dedicated this song to Mandy recently, and I dedicate it to all those out there who are being strong in their battles against cancers and other illnesses. I can't imagine how you do it. I take my hat off to you - you, who have every right to cry out "I'm Not Okay!" and yet you get up every day and fight.
I'm not sharing this to make anyone feel guilty. But I feel challenged, and so feel inspired to just share the following challenges with you:
- BE GRATEFUL. Just do it. Stop whinging. Get over it. Find something in your life to say 'Thank you' for, even if it is simply "Thank you for another beautiful day to live".
- October is Cancer Awareness month - maybe you're not up to shaving your head to support the cause, but all you need to do to support the cause is to be aware, and create awareness. Wear a bandanna, purchase a ribbon, go get that suspicious-looking mole tested. Talk about it, and support the people that you know are walking the journey.
- DO SOMETHING. Life is now, don't waste it. Apologize to those you owe an apology to. Similarly: forgive. Be kind to that person you have always been too shy to speak to. Take up that arbitrary hobby you've always dreamed about. Say "I love you". Say it to everyone that you really love! Everyone!
Fellow Inhabitants of this Planet... JUST. DO. IT.
