Sabbath Devotional :: Healing Power of Gratitude

Today I woke up with a fog and congestion of what promises to be a miserable cold. I’m sluggish, dopey, achy and — hidden under all the sinus issues and sore throat — empathically grateful for this wonderful life. I recently reconnected with dear friends. I have a house that works (for the most part, although I am a little troubled about the boiler). My spouse is alive and for the most part healthy. My children are alive. My grandchildren are alive. My parents and in-laws WERE alive and blessed my life in so many ways. I’m sitting here, Kleenex in hand, singing “Count your blessings, name them one by one.” I’m getting weepy — or are these just watery eyes?

I recently heard that developing a habit of gratitude is vital to brain health and spiritual well-being. What’s more, it is the very act of contemplating what we might be thankful for that our neurons start building pathways — even if we don’t end up being able to specify anything we’re grateful for.

So while I snivel, snort and feel my throat burn, I think about the political situation in the US today and find other symptoms of misery: sexual scandals popping up in the cavalcade of people in power abusing others; a proposed tax bill that can be spun a number of ways and each iteration has vicious teeth; the threat of nuclear war with North Korea, immigrant families torn apart by punishing rules and bureaucracy, insecurity about health care measures . . .

Of course I could go on and on. But that would probably start the gremlins of disappointment, frustration and gloom start to dance. So — I’ll start a list of things I’m grateful for in our current political climate and nourish those healthy pathways in my brain and spirit. Please add to it. Our communal brain can use the boost!

I’m grateful for

The community of friends I find in MWEG who are similarly invested in taking action to improve our country
The noble ideals of life and liberty still pulsing underneath every decade’s dysfunction.
The privilege of vote.
The fact that I have changed this year from being a politically naïve person into a much better-informed citizen.
The reality that we have weathered serious difficult stretches as a country before and survived, learning many lessons in the process.
The commitment and follow-through of many people to effect change for good.

Okay, I feel another sneeze coming on so I’ll end with . . .

I’m grateful to my sisters-in-arms (by which I do not mean weapons) who give hope, hands, heart and voice to these worthy causes. . . . aaaACHOOO! and AMEN!