Finding Ways to Show Gratitude

Finding Ways to Show Gratitude. Photo courtesy of fizkes/stock.adobe.com.

There is so much to be grateful for in life. Are you fully acknowledging that and appreciating what is so important to the core of your soul? Let us face it, you have gone through a lot in these past few years as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. What have you learned? Take a moment, stop, and think about the magnitude of what you have lived through and that which is to come.

Our lives became something straight out of Hollywood script. We have a “virus” that has taken over the world in many ways figuratively and literally. Who would have thought that it could race over continents so quickly to infect so many people? But sadly, it has. You had to change how you did things. Some of us learned we were extremely resistant to change of any sort. But you did change. You hunkered down and learned to live in a remote society. You had no choice.

You must remember those lost to this insidious virus. The New York Times reports there are 48.1 million cases with 777,000 deaths in the United States from COVID. That is sobering. Then multiply that by all the loved ones who are grieving. We cannot forget any of those lives. Why? Because all of them matter.

It is scary as we have seen how the Delta variant has scoured the earth this past summer. Sadly, the variant Omicron is our newest concern. These variants are not going away anytime soon. You are learning to live with them. So, look at what you have learned along the way.

When nightmares happen, despite all the bad, there can be a silver lining. Nothing will ever justify the loss of your loved ones or the stress that our healthcare workers have been going through, but it is important to remember that life has gone on. Whether you want it to or not. You are adapting. Even with all the suffering, you are resilient. You are finding strength within yourself and others. So often in life, you feel alone. You think that no one understands what you are going through. Then COVID hit, and you realized you were not alone. We are in this battle together.

Have you not seen incredible kindness during this time? I have been able to connect with family that I had not had much contact with for 20 years due to this virus. I learned to appreciate my health in a way that I never have felt before. Why? Because it can be taken away so very quickly. You do not really appreciate things until you lose it. Ask yourself what you gained from this pandemic? Perhaps it is an appreciation of your family, health, job, friends, home, grocery store workers, Amazon drivers, etc.?

My point with this article is not to make you sad. It is not to make you feel guilty. It is to encourage you to celebrate and live your life. Enjoy it. Find ways to get pleasure and remember that we are going to be ok. It may seem callous to those who are grieving, and my intentions are not to add to your pain. Just sit still for a minute and think about this “new normal” we are living in. Even with all the stresses that you are enduring, you are surviving. Sometimes, the holiday season is the perfect time to just stop everything, take a deep breath, and appreciate everything in your life. Don’t’ wait until something is taken away from you to realize how fortunate you are. You are truly fortunate to be alive. That is something I will never take for granted. Will you?

I would like to hear your thoughts on what you are grateful for. Email me at diana2@discussdirectives.com.