It’s June 1st today, and I’ve somehow let another month slip through my fingers. I swear I just had it here a minute ago, and now it’s gone. 

June 1st. One of the Facebook groups I belong to has a wellness theme every month. Some months it’s physical, but the last few have been more of a spiritual or mindful bent, and this month the theme is Joy and Gratitude.

It seems rather synchronous to me, as I had been thinking about gratitude deeply over the past few days. Part of that is everything going on in my life, part is the world news, and part of it is the lives of those around me, both real and virtual (Facebook)

How can we maintain gratitude on a daily basis? Research shows repeatedly that people who are grateful lead more fulfilling and contented lives than those who often have much more in the way of material goods, but they even do better than those who are blessed with lives untouched by grief or tradgedy.

Why is that? On face value, one would think that if you have money, friends and family, no abuse, enjoyable past times that life should be always pretty amazing. But it’s often the person who grew up without, who has experienced loss,  grief and adversity who expresses the most joy.

Why? Part of it I think comes down to the chiaroscuro of life- 

lightness and dark.

 Renaissance painters played with contrast to highlight an item of interest, but life is like that as well. If you never have pain, it’s hard to experience how good it feels to not have pain. If you never have experienced love, you can not know what you are missing.

You just can’t. 

So what is gratitude but this appreciation of all that life can bring? The idea of gratitude is a “millennial” one, really only coming into focus in the 2000s in popular settings, but religions around the world have had this theme central to them as long as people have prayed to a being beyond themselves.

Suffering unto the lord. Giving away your sorrow, 

being thankful. 

I have heard these sayings since I was a child.  I didn’t understand why people said them, in fact, they seemed kind of rude most of the time. Why would I be thankful to have discomfort or pain? Why would I be thankful something wasn’t WORSE? I always thought that was the absolute worst thing someone could say to me.

And then I grew up, became an adult and learned how daily living could wear one down. How every day could suck just a little, or a lot, 

and it was your perspective that could influence everything.

This June, join me in remembering how blessed we are to be alive, and trying to be grateful for one thing every day. 

Yes things hurt. 

Sometimes the pain can be unbearable, 

physically and emotionally. 

This month I am going to work on how the pain can make the pleasure that much sweeter. 

How the stress makes me appreciate relaxation more

How my beautiful, healthy children make me weep for those who suffer, the children who aren’t so lucky. 

I couldn’t understand before I was  a parent, and now the pain for those unlucky children is so intense that I don’t know how they or their families continue on, I don’t know if I could.

But then I see the beauty of the sun, and the summer blooming around me. 

The relationships with people around me make me so grateful I’m not alone, 

that I love and am loved.

 And I sorrow for those who are alone. 

Gratitude isn’t new, and it isn’t easy but it is worthwhile,

And I am grateful. 

I will work on finding something everyday that makes me appreciate the wonder around me, 

even if it’s through tears sometimes