We’re not born Buddhists, Christians are anything else, so there must be something in life that moves us into those directions.
We can say that there is one underlying current that flows through us all regardless of spiritual connections and that is gratitude. Yes gratitude is a choice like anything else but most of us have no trouble being grateful for something in our life and that is a great place to start our understanding of ourselves and each other – a common ground if you will.
Gratitude develops devotion and appreciation. These qualities can be completely independent of our parents, conditioning and society. In other words our gratitude and devotion can be uniquely ours and at the same time be a common thread amongst us all! The best part is that if we have appreciation, gratitude, and devotion of some kind, then we soften up a little bit. Our hearts are touched and we have more room, more patience for things we don’t understand.
Can’t we all use a little more of that?
So consider what you are thankful for today and examine how that gratitude and appreciation can shape and unfold within your life. We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have!
Peace and Love, Jim
