Wonder Abounds
In a world full of complexities, gratitude is the simple art of finding wonder in every corner.
Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.
Melody Beattie
Wonder Abounds
Gratitude is powerful.
Never underestimate what a simple "thank you" can do for you and others. When I start thinking of gratitude my mind drifts immediately. It drifts towards scientific journals and write ups.
Papers from graduate students and researchers alike. It's very granular and very useful, but it takes away the basic essence for me.
It is through gratitude for the present moment that the spiritual dimension of life opens up.
Eckhart Tolle
I enjoy learning about all that. It helps me know that I am not off base from a scientific and rational standpoint. But that isn't quite the sum total of gratitude.
The biology of gratitude and the chemistry of gratitude help our understanding but miss the spiritual and religious aspects. To an extent.
Gratitude promotes communal bonds. Meaning if a group of people all practice their "thank you’’ and are genuine with them, they connect better and for longer periods.
That is a powerful tool. These themes will continue to repeat as we delve into gratitude. Repetition is good for remembering the important points.
This is a good time to look at what happens when we omit gratitude in our lives. Currently this is the default condition of much of our society as we know it.
Gratitude has given way to self-admiration and self-gratification. Why, if I am completely in control of everything I do and everything I think, should I practice gratitude?
I did everything myself. I made sure I got up in the morning. I made sure to do everything I needed so I could get where I am.
Perhaps. Perhaps not. Are you completely sure that was all you? I may be mistaken. You may have been an auto-didact since birth. Anything is possible.
You may have already been able to keep yourself alive without the help of many, many people. You may not have needed a mom or a dad to raise you, a teacher to teach you, a community to support you and prop you up until you were an adult.
You may be a self made individual. The probability of that is vanishingly low. The possibility of being completely independent your entire life is non-existent.
If you believe you have been, good luck convincing anyone else of that. It'd be a good idea to do a little introspection on the subject and take a good, long, detailed look at your past.
You may have. Sure. Again, anything is possible. That's how I choose to see the world and the future. However, it's unlikely.
What this means is there's something you can express gratitude for. There's something to be thankful about. People who aren't grateful lack humility. Lacking humility removes your ability to grow.
If you do not humble yourself in any way you cannot see where you can improve. Why seek improvement if there's nothing to gain? Humility comes in all shapes and sizes. It is important to have some.
Understand this; we don't know much. We know a lot, but the amount out there that is unknown is staggering. Try and learn all you can. Use the fact of our infinite unknowns and humility to do so.
Practice gratitude, too. Do not automatically discount other people's opinions or thoughts on something because of this. There's too much you don't know to be so sure they will be wrong or that you know more than them.
I feel incredibly self-conscious giving advice on life because I am aware I am capable of being wrong. What if I am missing something important? What if I have a blind spot somewhere?
Understanding our current limitations and our ability to be wrong allows us to approach the world with a sense of wonder. A genuine, dearly held curiosity which enables us to see and appreciate things both great and small for the miracles they are. For the wonders they are.
The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Without humility it is hard or impossible to see the world through the eyes of a child. To see it for the wonder it is. Without gratitude it is hard or impossible to have that humility we so dearly need.
Have gratitude. Have humility. Have wonder and curiosity. See the world in its wonder and beauty, unobstructed.
Love,
Dad
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