Painting the world with gratitude!

It seems as though we are plagued by a society that only wants to gripe, whine and complain...they think the more worse off things are, the more attention or sympathy you get. Facebook world has turned into Gripebook all too often...I have a love hate relationship with such part of FB.

We are now entering November, the month that hosts Thanksgiving. I love this holiday for all it's simplicity, but our society has often skipped this one. To me it's all the more reason to celebrate it, as I think the world is not grateful for the simple things any more.

We focus too much on the bad, the ugly and what we don't have. If you are one of the grateful ones who make the most out of life, you are looked upon in a light that others often shun you for since you DO see the good, you don't sweat the small stuff and you are able to just be in the gratitude attitude. What will it take to let the world see that we need to get back to the thanksgiving in every day life?

If I could take out a big paintbrush and paint the world happy I sure would. To be able to open other's eyes to the fact that we really do have more than what we need, that the things in life that pop up are only temporary and aren't meant to destroy or frustrate us but to have us take a step back, breathe and be grateful! Yes, I truly mean that.

Last week I received notice that my name has come to the top of a list for a fix it up grant for my home. I could really use new windows and doors for my house. I was excited! Really excited. I got all my paperwork filled out and ready to go, then I read the last page, the income guidelines, I made $400 too much to qualify for this deal. Really??  Yes, I was disappointed, but I guess that meant I was doing ok, that there are others out there that really need this more than I do. I am grateful that I do have a house, that my windows are intact and that I do make the wages that I am able to.  Life is good, I have what I need.

I listen to a lot of people, I observe a lot of things, I am saddened when I see those who don't see the world for the good that it is. Our news casts are full of negative, it's as if unless it's bad, they cannot report it. I have quit watching the news at  night since it seems that the news isn't so bad in the morning light. I listen to clients talk about what goes wrong in their every day life, I read all the negative outbursts on FB, and I used to be part of a group of friends that all they did was complain about being mom's and wives. STOP, JUST STOP!

The other day a man walked into the salon...I've cut his hair several times and his demeanor is always the same...happy and grateful. See, this man is in his late 50's and over 30yrs ago he was in a bad car accident; he has a TBI, scars all over him, walks with a severe limp and cane, he stammers with his speech and is unable to work. This man is RICH in my eyes...he has his brothers near by who farm his families land and share from their gardens with him, he chops his own wood to heat his house, he has neighbors who share beef and deer meat with him, he is able to drive and get around. He tells me every time how lucky he is to be here and able to see his nephew's grow up and that someone out there has it way worse than he does. AMEN! If half, just half of the people out there had this man's attitude, I do believe that the world would be in a better state.

I challenge each and every one of us to really think this month, think of what we say or complain about. Think that someone out there has it worse off than you. Keep a gratitude journal, write one thing that you are thankful for on the calendar each day; maybe update your FB with a grateful statement instead of the disdain of daily gripes, or please, for one month, just.don't.gripe! Yes, after a month of gratitude, it WILL change your attitude. I was told it takes 21 days to change a habit, let this be the month that some of us change the complaining one! (yes, even complaining about complaining is still complaining ;-p )

Life is good, get on with it, live it LOUD!