How many times have we heard the expression "Life is hard." Yeah, we've all heard it hundreds of times and it's true. Life, at times, can be a real bummer.
But what I've learned in my decades on this old planet is my attitude toward each day can determine whether the next 24 hours are going to be good or lousy.
"Your attitude determines your altitude" is one of my favorite cliches. If one decides to make the most of each moment, something miraculous happens. The heart fills with gratitude and things really begin to look pretty good.
Just being alive feels good. Ever spend time with a friend who is getting chemotherapy? I have and when I walked out, a new appreciation for every facet of life filled my entire being.
Gratitude for everything and every one around us helps us to appreciate life. Pretty tea cups, a delicious piece of fruit, a walk outside, clouds, laughter, and love all make us start to realize how wonderful it is to be alive. Everywhere we look there are more things to be thankful for---babies with their sweet innocence, lunch with a dear friend, mail, soft and warm sheets, our faithful pets, flowers on the table(especially red roses, like the ones shown above. They were an anniversary gift to me from my husband!)....you get the idea.
Our hobbies can even instill a sense of deep gratitude. For me, one of my utter joys is collecting dolls. Every new "find" makes me so happy and delights the inner child within.
(Here's one of my favorite dolls who always make me smile!)
(Isn't she just a little pumpkin?)
We can even be grateful for certain songs. One of the best around is, "Keep On The Sunny Side." It's from one of my favorite movies, too, "O Brother Where Art Thou?" I've played this song in my car hundreds of times. Rather than just listening to the positive message of the song, I try to live it. Some days I'm more successful than others.
So, to paraphrase the song, "Keep on the Sunny Side" of life! It'll make you smile every time.
WHAT ARE SOME OF LIFE'S LITTLE THINGS,OTHER THAN THE OBVIOUS, THAT FILL YOU WITH GRATITUDE?
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10 comments:
Oh Susan, what a lovely post! I absolutely love coming by and reading your thoughts! It was filled with delicious imagery...really makes you think....
life's little moments...should be celebrated as they are the foundation of who we are!
flowers from the hubster really does it for me!
the smell of crayola crayons and the printed pages of a book....have you ever sniffed a book!? ahhh.....the smell of my morning coffee....
oh there are soooo many things!
thanks for coming by my other new blog....it should be fun!...be sure to follow me there!!!!
ciao bella
carmelina
congratulations on your anniversary....love is bliss......and the flowers are beau-gorgeous!!! especially with the rain drops!!!! tres romanitque ...
ciao!!!!
A full pot of coffee when I get up makes me feel grateful and "rich." We have the pot plugged into a timer and it's just sitting there smelling luscious.
The thing I'm the most grateful for is my health. I thank God for it each day as I know it won't last forever!xo
A good song...a long hot bath...a walk on the beach...a bouquet of white roses...
Family, friends, laughter...
There are so many things that help me get through the hard times. The little things bring a lot of joy.
Wonderful post, Susan! Thank you for reminding me how beautiful it is to be alive.:)
My dear Carmelina,Adrienne, Diane, and Laura: How wonderful to see you all visited while I was out getting birthday balloons!
Carmelina, I believe I already signed up to follow on your new blog. Hope it went through! Looking forward to reading it. The "raindrops" are actually water that my husband sprays on living roses, to keep them going longer. But they do look nice, don't they?
Oh yes, Adrienne, coffee is something to be very grateful for. I buy bags from Dunkin Donuts to make at home. It's the best!
Di, you are right about health. Tremendous gift!
And Laura! How nice to have you visit, too. White roses were my Mother's favorites. I bought her so many bouquets before she died! I always love seeing white roses as they remind me of her. Thanks for your sweet compliment.
Have a great day, girls! Always, Susan
I love this post Susan! Such true thoughts, gratitude is everything! It makes us so much more content to be grateful then to wish away our lives on what if's or if I only had...I am grateful for my children, my friends and family. I am grateful for everyday things like good coffee, wonderful music and sweet bloggy friends like you.
I feel gratitude seeing pretty pictures like that (I am going to get the camera this weekend).
Good friends - who help you.
When my grandson says I love you or I think you're pretty grandma!
sandie
I didn't know that you collected dolls. I love your little fairy doll with her wings and wand.
I am a very positive person, and very rarely think that I'm having a bad day. When I start to have a pity party, I can always think of many things that I am blessed with and how it could be so much worse. God is GOOD!
Thanks for sharing your uplifting thoughts
hugs XXX
ANDREA
Hello Linda, Sandie, and Andrea! So nice you came to visit while I was having a birthday party for my husband!
Linda, thanks so much for the compliment. It means a lot to me. Hope you are having a great time with your Mom.
Hi Sandie. SO GLAD you are going to get the little camera. Ohhhhh, you will LOVE it. And of course you feel gratitude when that little doll GS tells you that you are the pizazz!
Hi Andrea! Oh yes, dolls are one of my BIG collections ha! You'll see many posts, from past weeks and months, on dolls. Check them out! That's wonderful you are a positive person. True, true that God IS good.
Thanks for the visits, girls! Sincerely, Susan
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