"The struggle ends when gratitude begins."
— Neale Donald Walsch
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I write this morning with heavy hands. My lovely kids gave me this joint-aching, soul-sapping flu.
And being a man, it has hit me extra hard. Fellas, you know it's true.
The good thing is that I find myself somewhat prepared.
I have a tendency to get whiny when I have the flu or an injury that prevents me from doing the things I usually do. Poor me, and all that.
Isn't it weird that we only miss our health when it's gone?
We take huge parts of our health for granted — just like we take huge parts of our life for granted.
We don't realize how good we had it until it's not here.
Why?
We have a tendency to get so focused on what's wrong, what's missing or lacking, or what should be coming down the line to make us happier that we don't see what we have.
Present moment gratitude is the antidote to that; and I've been practicing! You practice while the going is good so that when the kids' bugs come knocking, you've got something to fall back on, right?
We don't rise to the occasion, but fall to the level of our training, as that Greek admiral said many years ago (I'm just too out of energy to check who it was. Sorry, not sorry).
Now —
I bet there's not one person reading this who couldn't rightfully complain about something that's not right, not fair, or could be better in their lives.
You could well be right, but what happens when you focus on that?
You get more of it. It fills your attention. It becomes your life. Just like this flu can become everything when I focus on it.
Gratitude helps us step back and get proper perspective.
I still have to deal with feeling sore and flat... but it's the story of Poor Me that really weighs heavy.
The difference between facts and stories is really important to see.
So mindfulness helps — catching the thinking pattern, and then changing the script to what is good, what's going right, and what's working well.
My mother-in-law, the lovely Parashanti, was a master at this.
Here she was, living with cancer with all its comings and goings, good days and bad, and she would constantly pat herself on the shoulder, saying out loud, "Well done body, you're doing the best you can."
Which is still inspiring to me.
When I do this, I feel so much lighter. I stand taller. It's okay, it'll take time (and I don't know how long) but I'll come through.
And so I carry on this tradition, because Poor Me doesn't stand a chance.
If you're feeling good, think, speak, do gratitude.
If life is tough right now, double down on that gratitude. Don't accept the idea that life is too bad right now to actually get down and find something good. There is always something, no matter how little, when you look.
Go well,
Arjuna
PS.
People have been asking for dates for Ascension courses. They are coming soon! It was one of those things I was going to do today, but I promise I’ll get there.
Writing this email is enough for one Poor Me. I’m going to go rest and Ascend, so talk soon!