Dad Explains: Deficient Gratitude
Despite everything, I am ungrateful.
Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.
Happigratitudiness
Happiness is important. Gratitude is importanter. Take that to the bank.
Recently I have been experiencing ups and downs. I know, that’s not abnormal, that’s life. What’s abnormal is knowing what part of the issue is yet not taking the steps, ones that are known and understood, to remedy that issue.
Okay, that’s typical as well. It is frustrating and that’s the rule. It should be frustrating, too. That’s my sign I’m being an idiot and I need to listen or move or do whatever I should be doing. That’s the goal of this piece in particular.
Are you unhappy? I have been unhappy. I am unhappy at times. Be unhappy, that’s okay. It happens. Staying unhappy is not advised, however. Look around you and say “Despite everything, I am ungrateful.”
And let’s take a look at that string of words. You may say “I am not ungrateful!”. Perhaps not. Are you resentful? Are you full of anxiety? Depressed? You may be ungrateful.
Of course that doesn’t mean it’s intentional. It may be intentional, but likely not. A deficit of this gratitude will lead to those maladies. Those states of mind that cause you turmoil will stem from a lack of gratitude so it should be looked at as a potential causal factor.
That’s where I am and I realized “Despite everything, I am ungrateful.”
That phrase has some power in it. It is self-deprecating but sometimes you need to hear the truth. Sometimes you need to tell yourself the truth. If you never do how will you know what to fix?
There’s also hope in that phrase. “Despite everything.”. That’s an admission there are things TO BE grateful for. It’s not a completely dismal state of being when there are things to be grateful for. So take a second to look around and find things you CAN be grateful for.
Given that’s where I am and I have been inconsistent in my prayers and my expressions of gratitude I wanted to make a list.
Then I figured I’d share it.
And now we’re here because I type too much.
Reasons For Gratitude
Steal these reasons, please. If you need reasons then reshape whichever one of these that apply to you and your life. This list will be mine but I do buy into the idea that sharing is profitable.
Sorry, sharing is caring. That one.
I am grateful for my children.
I am grateful for my wife.
I am grateful for my family and my friends.
I am grateful I woke up this morning.
I am grateful there WAS a morning earlier to wake up to.
I am grateful I have food in my house to eat and water to drink.
I am grateful for sufficient power and AC in the summer.
I am grateful that my Dad taught me by example, specifically in selflessness and going without so his kids could go with.
I am grateful my kids come to me with questions.
I am grateful I got to dance with my kids at the wedding last night.
I am grateful my kids come to me with scenarios they have thought up and want to ask me my opinion.
I am thankful they want to talk to me at all.
I am grateful.
Love,
Dad
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