TO BE GRATEFUL IS TO BE FREE

To many of us, back in the day when we were stuck in self, gratitude seemed to mock us...like a sneering nah-nah-nah. Interestingly, that's how we responded when gratitude was mentioned...with a sneering putdown.

The unsought/sought turnaround came from a spark of the divine within us. For those of us chasing God, whether we knew it or not, this was the necessary crash-and-burn from which we would arise from the ashes a changed person wrapped in the grace of gratitude.   

Once we've felt gratitude, once we've known gratitude for our own, we can only want more...and there's our gift abloom. We experience gratitude as akin to love...we can neither force it nor self-will it. It comes by grace, and even as we realize that, the deeper it grows.

Our breakthrough comes when we realize we can turn within to find gratitude at any time...a simple thank you, and we're going in the right direction...toward Home.

The gut-bucket, toenails up, hair-on-fire reveal is that gratitude dissolves, resolves, absolves shame and blame. It is forgiveness in a coat of many colors...to be grateful is to be freed of "me."

Thank you.