Being Grateful for Everyday 

Going to Camp Mont Shenandoah taught me many things about myself, how to treat people, and about how to enjoy life.  So many lessons came out of my summers in the mountains that I would never be able to list them all without forgetting something.

The most important lesson that I learned while at camp though is one of our beloved 12 laws of woodcraft.  It is the last one and my personal favorite: be glad you are alive.

You see, camp instills in us a sense that no matter what is going on and how bad the day can be, you should find joy in being alive.  The idea is that there is always something to be grateful for and to not let a single day pass without appreciating it.  This is a hard lesson to live by daily.  Think about your worst day, when frustration hits a peak, and all you want to do is scream.  I’ve been there, many times, and I can honestly say that during those moments, I’m not sitting down and making a list of what I should be grateful for.  But maybe I should.  Maybe we all should.  What if we did?

What if every time I got mad, frustrated, sad, or feeling sorry for myself, I sat down and made a list of everything going well in my life?  All of the things I am thankful for.  This list would definitely overpower any of the negative feelings or situations going on that day.  We may all be blessed in different ways, but the fact is, we all have the blessing of life in common.  We all wake up each morning having the chance to change our outlook and be better, and we all have evenings where we can sit down and be grateful.

So I’m going to try it.  Why not?  I know it is not going to be easy, but it’s worth a shot right?  To be more grateful and not taking my days for granted, to find the joy of being alive.  Sounds pretty good to me.

So here’s a start, my grateful list for today (in no particular order): 

• Winnie learning to wait and come here!
• Good friends and Panera gift cards
• A beautiful day
• Sterling coming to visit with Stella (his dog)
• Summer days with the time to relax and reflect
• Summer schedule that allows me to go home this week for my Dad’s birthday 🙂
• Good health and the health of my family

Have a happy Sunday everyone!

Found on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/170714642095300736/