Daily Inspiration 3-29-10

"Worry is the misuse of imagination."

-- Proverb

"Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful."

-- Buddha

"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough."

-- Oprah Winfrey

"Appreciation is the highest form of prayer, for it acknowledges the presence of good wherever you shine the light of your thankful thoughts."

-- Alan Cohen

Many times, I look for a quote that expresses how I feel, and sometimes that quote is very hard to find. Another thing I noticed was that as I was thinking about thankfulness and gratitude, I looked for quotes on that subject and they are very few in comparison with quotes on so many other topics. I find that interesting and telling.

Let me say this, and I say it with all the depth of sincerity that I can muster: I have found absolutely nothing in life so rewarding, so empowering and so wonderful as gratitude. As I say that, it just doesn't sound one tenth as strong as I feel about that. That's why I was looking for a really great quote to back me up. Didn't find it.

I even looked in the Bible and even though one of my favorite quotes from Paul is "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God. - I. Thessalonians 5.16-18. Even that, though powerful and good, leaves me unfulfilled. Although, I have to say that the word Rejoice! is awfully good.

No, I think gratitude and thankfulness is better than sex and better than any feeling I have ever had--ever. And the more I experience gratitude, the more gratitude I find and the more things I find to be thankful for. That's an amazing thing in itself. It costs nothing, doesn't even require any expense of energy--matter of fact, I think it actually is energizing! I have tears of joy that just flood through me and ecstatic, joyful feelings wash over me whenever I am truly grateful. I would have to say without a doubt that it is THE MOST POWERFUL AND FULFILLING feeling.

Now, here's the really good news. I have this feeling almost every day, and some days many, many times throughout the day, and they are constantly growing in depth and number as I experience each one. Perhaps I might get to the point where I feel nothing but gratitude. WOW! There's a thought worth thinking! To have the most powerful and fulfilling feeling all the time? My goodness, what could be better than that?

You might say, 'Terry, get you head out of that fantasy land and get back down here to reality. There's stuff to do and expectations to meet.' So, I say, no problem, but I'm bringing my private world of gratitude with me and no one can take that away, no matter what.

I'm thinking about having a permanent fully thankful smile on my face. . .

I'm ready, willing, able and most assuredly, grateful.

I Am Continually Ever More Grateful. Awesome.

Spread Some Joy Today--Risk a little today. Take pause and stare out the window for a few minutes. Smile at what you see. Give thanks for all you see. Give thanks for the fact that you see. Give thanks that you can even give thanks. There is zero worry in gratitude. It is a safe, comfortable, and healing place to be--as often as you can.