Brought to you by UNICEF
I admit, there are days that just seem to go by. You know those times that just feel like you are ‘going through the motions’ where sometimes you forget what time it is & have no idea what you did four hours prior? Well, I admit, I sometimes have those days where I just play mum & am not being mum. Yes, I admit it.
The truth is, I don’t often stop to reflect how grateful I am. When I hear stories of individuals, other mummas & friends that have a daily ritual to write down their one most grateful moment of the day in a little book that is often kept on their night stand, I am kinda envious. Because there are days I don’t seem to have time to go to the toilet, let alone write down my grateful moments. And yet, there are people that have it as a daily ritual… damn I wish I could be that person for even just one day.
But then when I have those clarity moments, like I am right now, where I pinch myself for being so ungrateful & so oblivious to the many extraordinary people, experiences & support I have in this world. There world around me is harsh! Very harsh! There is an Ebola crisis happening, people are struggling for daily life essentials, children are being sold as sex slaves & slaughter is happening every day while I am forgetting to take note of my simply luxuries.
My children freely, with no thought, simply say “we can go to the supermarket to get more.”
And then the absolute classic is when something breaks my four & a half year old reassures me, “that’s okay Mumma, we can just buy a new one.”
I am totally to blame for this!
Gratefulness: warmly or deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received; thankful.
I will probably never be one of those people {even for just one day I would probably fail too} to write the grateful things down, but lately I am teaching something new; the grateful prayer. Before my big girl goes to bed & I am in her room giving her one final cuddle, kiss and ‘butterfly kiss’, I ask her, “what were you most grateful for today”. Sometimes it is silly disposable things {seemingly to me} like a new book she got, but then sometimes she whips out a moment shared or an experience gained. My heart melts. And I think, I am doing kinda alright on teaching this gratefulness thing to my kids {some days}.
Being grateful, showing gratefulness & teaching gratefulness should not be hard. I mean, yes, there will be days that we don’t notice the little things around us which to us might seem small & insignificant, but to others are luxuries they just don’t have. I am guilty. Totally guilty.
We get caught up in our own little bubble at times that maybe the message we should also be teaching is about doing something for other people rather then for ourselves. In my community & faith we call this a Mitzvah; giving back & doing good for others.
There are plenty of volunteering opportunities available that give everyone the opportunity to give something back. And whether it to a charity, a friend, an organisation or community group, the message is clear : what are you grateful for today?
