Gratitude

How many of us are actually grateful for what we have?

My son-in-law's mother arrived yesterday from Canada.  In fact from my home town of Toronto.  Toronto right now is about to settle into their winter months where temperatures can get well below zero degrees celcius with lots of snow to add to it.

The last time I was in Toronto about a year and a half ago I was astounded by the amount of concrete!  Whether it had actually changed since I left 16 years ago I am not really sure.  Maybe it was the fact that I have come to enjoy the Australian landscape, even within the city.

Today as she walked around my very small house in inner Melbourne, looking at our front and back gardens she stated "You live in paradise!"  I had never thought of my house as being in paradise.  It is just our little house, yes we love it and yes it looks lovely right now with flowers and plants blooming.  But paradise?

We went to lunch at a local cafe and had the all day breakfast.  When she cut into her poached eggs she was amazed at the colour of the yoke!  She walked into a specialty food store and was amazed by the colours of the fruit and vegetables.  I just didn't see it, was I missing something.

After they left I gave her statements a lot of thought.  I realized that I take a lot of things for granted.  I remember the first time I got off a plane in Australia, recalling the colour of the sky, the smell of the eucalyptus trees, I could actually smell it and the friendliness of the people I met.  I think that complacency has taken over and I do take all these things for granted.  I have decided that I have to change my way of thinking and be really grateful for everything that is around me and in my life!  I am not going to take things for granted again.

There is a Native American saying which I want to share with you:

"When you arise in the morning
Give thanks for the morning light.
Give thanks for your life and strength.
Give thanks for your food,
And give thanks for the joy of living.
And if perchance you see no reason for giving thanks,
Rest assured the fault is in yourself."

Thank you Joyce for making me open my eyes to see what it is that is around me.  The sights, the sounds and the tastes that make this country the most amazing place.  For that I will be forever grateful.