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AS WE APPROACH THE SEASON OF “GRATITUDE,” I CAN’T HELP THINKING HOW OUR HOPE TO FEEL TRULY GRATEFUL IS ACTUALLY A PROFOUND EXERCISE. LIKE THIS QUOTE SAYS, WHICH I READ ON MY SON’S GIRLFRIEND’S FACEBOOK POST, WE ARE CONSTANTLY CASTIGATING OURSELVES WITH REMINDERS OF WHAT WE ARE MISSING IN OUR LIVES: A LOVER, A NEW PHONE, EXTRA TIME (TO READ, TO WORKOUT, TO EDUCATE OURSELVES, TO JUST DO NOTHING), A PERFECT HOUSE, BETTER TASTING COFFEE, THE LIST GOES ON. WHETHER WE ARE MISSING OUT IN ITEMS OR WE ARE YEARNING FOR A CHANGE IN THE QUALITY OF OUR HOW WE SPEND OUR TIME, OR ENGAGE IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS, WE ARE FEELING A SENSE OF LACK CONSTANTLY. IT TAKES A CONSCIENTIOUS EFFORT TO NOTICE WHAT WE DO HAVE, WHAT WE CAN BE GRATEFUL FOR.
THE RECENT BOMBINGS IN PARIS HAS LED ME TO THINK EVEN MORE ABOUT THIS NOTION OF SCARCITY VS. OUR FEELING OF GRATITUDE. IN A SPLIT MOMENT, OUR WORLD CHANGES, OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HUMANITY IS SHAKEN, AND WE SUDDENLY FEEL A SENSE OF GRATEFULNESS FOR WHAT WE DO HAVE, OUR SAFETY, OUR COMFORT, OUR LIFE, OUR SIMPLE “HOME.” I REMEMBER BEING IN PARIS, LIKE MANY OF YOU, I HAVE MY PICTURES OF ME AT THE EIFFEL TOWER WITH MY DAUGHTER, ME AT THE ARC DE TRIOMPHE, VERSAILLES, MONTMARTRE ETC… IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS CITY WAS STRUCK WITH TERROR, CONFUSION, HURT. JE T’AIME PARIS.
IT STRIKES ME THAT IT IS IN TIMES LIKE THESE, WHEN WE QUESTION EVERYTHING, THAT WE LITERALLY NEED TO FIND MEANING IN THE MUNDANE, BECAUSE THE MUNDANE BECOMES A LUXURY! AND WHEN WE MIND MEANING IN SOMETHING, WE SUDDENLY BECOME MORE GRATEFUL. LIKE I SAID, IT IS A CONSCIENTIOUS PRACTICE, AT LEAST FOR ME! I REMIND MYSELF OF WHAT I DO HAVE:
MY SHOES
MY SOCIAL LIFE
MY BROTHER
MY CHILDREN; THE CHILDREN OF MY CHILDREN
MY KITCHEN THAT I NEVER USE
MY LATTES
MY FRIENDS, MY ENEMIES
MY APPROACH TO LIFE
MY LAZY SUNDAY MORNINGS AND MY LAZY SUNDAY AFTERNOONS
MY COOCHI COOCHI
MY HEALTH
MY MEMORIES
MY MEXICO
MY JALAPENOS
MY SANTA FE
AS ALWAYS, I LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS! TELL ME WHAT YOU ARE GRATEFUL FOR! PLEASE WRITE TO ME AT GUADALUPEGOLER@HOTMAIL.COM