Happy October, people! I hope you had a terrific weekend watching general conference, and that all of you have latched on to something that will help greatly as you go about living your lives.
We have a new topic this week. Perhaps, buoyed by the good feelings generated by Saturday and Sunday’s talks, you’ve got some ideas to help those among us who are used to looking at the fuzzy side of the lollipop.
Here is what our reader had to say:
I hear some people around me express such negativity and complaints about their lives (and they do have challenges, but I don’t think they stop to ponder how blessed they are). Maybe we could have a discussion on how to keep negativity out of our lives, which saps our energy, affects others in a bad way, and keeps us from enjoying life and even seeing solutions to our problems. I think the power of gratitude may be one of the best kept secrets of life.
Hopeful
I agree with you, Hopeful, about the power of gratitude. As your letter hinted, however, there are a lot of people out there who don’t seem to find much to be grateful for.
In my life, something that has helped me be grateful for every blessing — and every trial — I experience has been seeing how people live who aren’t as blessed as I am. I will never forget going to Haiti last year and seeing “houses” that were made of four poles with a flat piece of corrugated metal on top. There were no walls, no floors, and no furniture. And this was before the earthquake!
It isn’t practical or even possible for all of us to go to a third world country in order to appreciate what we have at home. Besides, gratitude — and happiness — aren’t dependent solely on material possessions. I would imagine that some of the people who lived in those shelters in Haiti were happier than some of us who live in big, warm houses and drive shiny new cars. What gives them that happiness?
Readers, if you have any ideas on the subject, please send them to me**************@ao*.com. Put something in your subject line to tell me your letter isn’t spam. We’ll post your responses next week.
Until next time — Kathy
“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.”
Anthony Robbins
