Are You Grateful?

This is the time of year when we need to be grateful for what we have. We have been so spoiled for so long. Some of us get upset if we don’t find under the tree that  Anne Kline watch we wanted, a Ralph Lauren blazer, or a Mercedes to drive. “It’s just not fair. Other people get those things. What about me?”

Start being thankful for what you do have and give yourself some gold stars. When I was 16 years old, my dad taught me to give myself gold stars when I have a good day. It feels really good when you stick that star in your daily planner each day. If you have more than one success that day, give yourself more than one gold star. And start saving up to buy yourself the things you want next year.

One Christmas, my friend, John, gave me a necklace with a gold star pendant and said “You are the best partner I could ever have!” On the back he engraved, “Until the 12th of Never.” As you know, that’s a long, long time. Shortly after Christmas, John had a heart attack and died. My point here is that I am grateful he was in my life for the time he was.

Sometimes where end up in life is not where or what we imagined. Be thankful anyway. There are people all over the world who would like to be in your shoes, would like to have your job, would even like to have your problems…instead of their own.

As Dr. Robert Schuller would say,

“Today’s responsibilities are tomorrow’s possibilities.”