Know Thyself Prompt
May I Tell You Why My Heart’s so Grateful Right Now?
It’s about the blessings of both receiving and giving
Are we cued to be grateful just because it’s Thanksgiving?
Like Pavlovian turkeys? I mean dogs.
Gratitude seems to be everybody’s November theme unless it’s an election year. Then all bets are off.
At my church, we scour the earth for synonyms that boil down to the same thing, for this month’s theme.
So much so that it can feel stale, flat, like I’m just going through the motions. Even when I challenge myself to make gratitude lists. It got to be like just checking another box.
Even when I gave myself the challenge to be grateful for things I don’t normally feel grateful for.
Like the flood, my sister came home from her trip abroad.
Of such magnitude, they’re taking her kitchen wall apart to dry out the bricks.
But even within that horrific upheaval, there’s plenty to be grateful for, when we look.
The wonderful neighbors who came in to water their plants stopped the leak and started the drying out process. They attacked it with the energy of a Boy Scout merit badge project, bringing in the troops.
The neighbor is a boy scout leader and he led at least his family in spreading out wet papers to dry, keeping them organized by date and month! Setting up sump pumps to suck up the water — being the advanced detachment that made the paid crew’s job much easier, as well as my sister’s homecoming.
I’m grateful my sister has the where-with-all to grace this family with a generous gift card from their favorite grocery store. They’ll either be eating high on the turkey, I mean hog, this Thanksgiving, or decently for a month!
Not to mention her homeowner’s insurance.
Those good people dove right in, got things assessed, and started. They’ll be springing for an AirB&B for their Thanksgiving weekend as well as a furnished apartment while the work continues, including installing new cabinets and flooring.
That discipline helped me shift from holding this event as catastrophic to noticing the opportunities they provide for blessings. They say it’s better to give than receive. Yet some of us are so used to giving and grateful that we can, that when it’s our turn to receive, it’s hard.
So my sister, the consummate giver, the one who took six kids from this scouting family to a live performance of The Lion King, gets to sit back, if that’s possible, and receive. Or run around like a headless chicken and receive — which is more like her.
Not only did she treat these kids to The Lion King, she asked their folks to not let them see any ads for it, so they could be all the more surprised at the performance. Who doesn’t cry when the animals come from all directions to Pride Rock in the opening Circle of Life?
That gives you an idea of who she is. And I am so grateful she’s my sister!
But that’s not all.
Another recent experience rocked my world about gratitude. And this one is about giving.
My dear friend and roommate, a writer here on the platform, Aikya Param, recently had cataract surgery on both her eyes. She’s healing now and even driving.
But her eyes were not a candidate for a special lens that would allow her to see better than she ever did, sans glasses.
These lenses come with a price she could not afford, but I could. So I offered to pay for them. Turns out that wasn’t necessary.
Two weeks ago, another dear friend and writer on this platform, Debbie Walker shared with me she was about to have both her eyes done.
Debbie’s eyes need and can support those special lenses.
When she described how big she has to blow up her computer screen to be able to read on it, and the difference the lenses would make, including her ability to drive again, I was full to bursting.
Here’s what I said:
Debbie, you won’t believe this. It just so happens that I had set aside exactly that amount so Aikya could get her lenses. Then it turned out she didn’t need to get them.
Would you be comfortable accepting my gift of that amount?
I asked it that way because some people have a hard time saying yes to such offers.
Maybe because it brings up strong feelings. Perhaps shame that they don’t have the resources on hand to pay for it themselves. Perhaps it feels like an injury to their pride if they have to accept ‘handouts.’
Debbie is not one of those people!
She lept at the offer, praising the Lord. I could ‘see’ and feel her jumping up and down with joy.
Her next words were, This is what happens every time I tithe. Heaven has just opened up and poured me out a blessing!
My heart also overflowed with joy!
As she rejoiced and exclaimed, I went on Paypal and transferred the money. Thank you, Paypal. You make that so safe and easy!!!
Both our hearts still overflow with joy.
I knew I would feel good and happy, but I did not anticipate ongoing joy, enthusiasm, and delight overflowing from my heart. And for this, I am so grateful.
What I’m Learning
To my surprise, I discovered how much more abundant and grateful I feel after giving a generous amount than before. Even though my bank account is that much lower.
Things look and feel different when I see them with my heart.
So this time of year, may we be grateful for both, that which we receive, and that which we are able to give. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
I’m so grateful, Yana Bostongirl, for this KTHT prompt and column in Coffee Times!
Please enjoy this moving story from EllenEastwood, who turned her resentment into gratitude.
Marilyn Flower writes political humor and satire to delight socially and spiritually conscious folks. She’s the author of Creative Blogging: Ninja Writers Guide to Character Development and Bucket Listers, Get Your Brave On: How to Do the Thing You’re ‘Too Old’ & ‘Too Scared’ to Do. Clowning and improvisation strengthen her resolve during these crazy times. Stay in touch!