Much like taking our daily dose of multivitamins, practicing gratitude is something we know is good for us, but oftentimes falls by the wayside. Appreciating the good things in life can be particularly hard when we are in a dark place where nothing seems as it should be. Through the veil of grief, many things seem dull and hopeless; gratitude is in short supply. Yet, stepping outside our dualistic way of thinking – all must be either good or bad – we find that intentional gratitude reminds us of another way of being. All may not be well, but that does not negate the presence of gifts, of grace, of small sparks of kindness that have a way of sneaking into our field of view. Gratitude then is an invitation to acknowledge the possibility of light, even while sitting in the darkness; of giving thanks when we are battered and bruised, but not broken. Gratitude reminds us of the power we yield to create new neural pathways within us so that the darkness does not overtake us. Gratitude, then, is our way home.
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