13/03/2022
I've been triggered twice this week in relation to gratitude.
The first time was because I did a favour for someone - only a small one - by asking a favour from someone else on her behalf. I thanked the person I asked the favour from; and she thanked me for asking her... but the person I asked the favour for, barely acknowledged it. (Are you still with me? Good. 🙂). Rude I thought, rude.
The second time was because someone who literally had her life saved thanks to the efforts of volunteers, refused to acknowledge their efforts, deciding instead to discredit them - in spite of clear and present evidence of the facts. Ungrateful I thought, so ungrateful.
Then, it dawned on me that their responses weren't the point. Like the volunteers, I didn't act with the intention of being thanked, but simply because of an urge to help... an urge that was rewarded simply by taking action. I understand that in each case, the subjects have a map of the world that is different to mine. So, while I can't change their behaviour, I can change how it affects me.
For me, gratitude is less an option, and more a natural reaction or impulse. At least, most of the time.
I realise that while I find it instinctive to show and feel gratitude to others who may have shown me kindness; I sometimes need to remind myself to stop and consider other things that I should be grateful for. Warmth, food, safety... things that we can take for granted, until we consider that others may not have them.
If you sometimes struggle to think of something to feel grateful for, perhaps because you're overwhelmed by the noise in your life; take a moment ... for yourself... with no distractions. Ask yourself what you have to be grateful for. Then take a deep breath in... and out... and breathe.