It’s been a rough week. Hurricane Sandy took a toll. Family, friends and friends-of-friends may have been affected by tragic circumstances. The media plastered pictures and videos of disaster in our faces if we chose to tune in, so we could experience the loss of others, making it harder for those of us in other parts of the USA to go about our normal business, including Halloween festivities with friends and family. And today is the first of November, traditionally the month of Thanksgiving. 
If you lost your home to flood, wind or fire this week, or you lost a loved one to war, cancer or heart disease, or you lost a job to downsizing, a home to foreclosure, or a child to a tragic accident, or you knew someone who experienced any of this, then it might be hard to feel grateful today. The human condition involves a variety of levels of invitation, experience, analysis, emotion, response or action and completion in all matters of life and death. When we can summon the feeling of gratitude for what we experience and/or learn, then we are on the road to healing. Feelings of thanks don’t happen overnight. Seriously. It’s hard to identify the gifts in the loss of a loved one, home, health, wealth or a job. The realization of the “gifts” of such an experience may happen over time and with support from others. No matter how or how long gratitude takes to materialize, it genuinely heals ourselves and others around us. So the more we can be open to and summon an attitude of gratitude, the more we can help ourselves, our brothers and sisters – our humans – to heal.
What are you grateful for in this moment? Is it one thing or many? Please post about your gratitude here. You will be helping others! And even if you don’t post, please FEEL your gratitude for a few minutes now. Then you can share that feeling with your family, friends, coworkers and anyone with whom you connect today. Think of it as an experiment in paying forward the power of gratitude, no matter how great or small.
Today I am grateful for my friends.
Imagine what a difference so much gratitude might make on our planet.
My daughter is 30 with 2 children. I'm searching for ways to help her. She is so emotionally abusive to her 8 year old daughter, breaks my heart. I've run out of advice to offer the granddaughter, that's why I'm on here searching for answers. The
Shirley - what a breath of fresh air. It sounds like you are quite the extraordinary person. I'm going to take your advice and ask myself what would I like to do on this long holiday weekend! Who knows...I just might have some fun. The loneliness is 
I’m going to forward this to a friend who is going through a rainstorm. It certainly is pouring for her. It is so hard to see the gift in the middle of the storm. I’m just now trying to see the ‘gift’ in so many things that affected me from childhood on. Thanks for the post.
Linda, I know what you mean. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. Sending good wishes to you and your friend….
I am so grateful to have my mother still in my life and to know that she is doing well. This is a blessing.
I am so grateful for the sight of the blue jay outside my window to remind me that in all of nature, as in life, no storm lasts forever.
Flower Bear, what a lovely comment…so true! Thank you.
I’m grateful for a cup of well made tea, the quiet of the early morning, and the laughter of strangers.
Ah, Watermusic, I always love your posts. Thank you!
Today I’m grateful for Shannon’s insightful blog and a peaceful environment in which to read it!
Sweet Sarah…you are a blessing! xxoo
I’m so grateful all my good friends now have their power restored after the hurricane! Great job all you utility workers!!!