Gratitude

Nov. 14, 2021

As Thanksgiving approaches, people tend to think about gratitude only on this particular day and forget the rest. I’m generally a thankful person, and you can tell by seeing “thank you” explicitly in my posts. I also post content to acknowledge the good things that happen and show appreciation.

There is an article on the Science of Gratitude, and gratitude is the sauce that makes us happier. Last year, out of deep gratitude, I began keeping a gratitude jar (that wasn’t really a jar). Several very bad incidents made this a very bad day, but I realized that everything could have been much worse.

Now, this was a long time ago, so the details are fuzzy, but I remember my car broke down in a parking lot on a hot day. I called a few tow companies nearest to me and each one said it would take an hour or more for someone to come. I settled on one and I said that I will wait. Where else am I going to go? About 10 minutes after I hung up, the tow truck driver from that company called me and said that he’s supposed to pick up someone else who called first. However, because I was closer to where he currently was, he would pick me up first and then go to the other person. I was very thankful that he did this, and I still have his phone number in my cell just in case I need a tow.

Since then, I am more aware of things that happen to me and to the people around me, and be more grateful. Every time something good occurred, I write it on a scrap piece of paper with a date, fold it, and drop it in the jar. At the end of the year, I empty the jar and go through all of them, and start anew with the new year.

Additionally, I have introduced my gratitude jar to one of my Toastmasters clubs, and two members made their own gratitude jars. It’s also another way to reuse things, since mine is a coffee canister and one of the member’s used a plastic dog treat box. It doesn’t have to be beautiful; it has to be meaningful.

For me, I’m uncertain if I experience noticeable happiness, but every time something bad happens to me, I look for something in that situation that I can be grateful for. This habit has made me recognize the small things in life, and there are so many small and wonderful things in a day if you notice them. As of late, I learn something and knowledge is valuable to me.

Do you have a gratitude jar? If not, are you going to make one?

NanoPoblano Day 14 Done!