Discipline of Gratitude

 

 

 

Ever since a Huddle class/study I took last year, the first words in my mind when I open my eyes every morning have been the same.

Seriously.

Two words.

Every single morning when consciousness stirs and my senses are slowly alerted to light and life and my surroundings, the two words are the same.

And they’ve started to change everything.

My eyes flutter open and my silent inner dialogue begins.

Two words.

Thank you.

Thank you, God.

I’m not speaking out loud.  (Except when I am.)

But it’s an internal conversation that is very real.

Thank you.

Thank you, God.  (Because that’s who is the receiver of my thoughts.  That’s who I am having this continual internal dialogue with.)

Thank you.

Thank you for this morning.

(And that would be enough actually, but there is more. There is always more.)

Thank you for this very day.

Thank you for sleep

and for waking up.

For opportunity and for all the people I love sleeping soundly in my house currently

or in their own homes across town or across the United States.

Thank you.

And I don’t stop.

Sometimes I drift back to sleep.

Thank you for yesterday’s dessert,

bills paid,

laughter.

Whatever.

All of it.

Thank you for today’s promise, hope and plans.

All of it.

Thank you for the piece of today that feels hard but that you already have covered.

Thank you.

It’s changing me.

This attitude.

This Discipline of Gratitude.

The first words

the first thoughts

every day.

Thank you.

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