Gratitude Journal
Do you remember how I mentioned my gratitude journal at the beginning of the new year? I wanted to try something new, something to capture the special moments that were happening as this year got underway. The initial idea was to take a slip of paper and write something positive, something you’d like to look back on later. Then, slip this piece of paper into a gratitude jar, and on New Year’s Eve, get that jar out and pull out all of these slips of paper to reminisce.
I soon realized that since I love to write, one slip of paper just wouldn’t do. So, I started a gratitude journal. Here, I can write and write and write some more until my little heart is content.
Well, I noticed that my husband was peeking into my gratitude journal. But, you know what? I didn’t mind. Why? Because I was writing about happy moments. Loved filled moments. Throw your head back laughing moments. With him … with my children … us, together as a family.
And you know what else?
He was inspired! Yes, you read that right. He was so inspired, in fact, that he has picked up that same gratitude journal and written words straight from his heart about the events of the day or the weekend!
Do you know how much this thrills my heart? To read HIS words? I was over the moon happy!
If you haven’t started a gratitude journal, now is the perfect time to consider doing so. It doesn’t have to be a fancy journal with lace or even one with flowers on the front. You can take an ordinary, everyday notebook and began savoring every single moment that you get to live again as you’re writing them down. And then, you get to live them once more when you and your loved ones read back over these memory making moments.
Ah, yes. Savor the moments. Be present when you’re living them with your loved ones, but write them down, too! To be shared. Remembered. Leave your legacy behind in words written straight from your heart and moments that your loved ones will think back on fondly and smile.
Do Not Take Sides
Oh boy! This is a hard one.
I work in a small office, and there are three of us ladies here. I love love LOVE my job! I truly do. At times, though, the female personalities can go at it here. This is not new as this has happened at every single job I have ever held since I was old enough to work. It’s sad, really. But for some reason, women just cannot work together in peace, love, and harmony. I wish that wasn’t so, though. Why this has to be part of the “norm” in any type of environment when you have women together is beyond me.
How do you handle something like this? VERY CAREFULLY!
One lady told me about a situation that happened three weeks ago right when it was happening. The other lady took it upon herself today to tell me “her side” of the story from the same incident that occurred three weeks prior. What did I do throughout these entire three weeks when there was tension between them? I stayed out of it! I came into work, said a blanket “Good Morning” for whoever heard and wanted to acknowledge me … and I had tunnel vision all day as I sat at my desk working. I would speak when spoken to or if it was work related, but other than that, I kept my nose out of it. It did not concern me at all, so I lived the past three weeks in that mindset. In my mind, I kept repeating this, “It does not concern you, stay out of it, do not take sides, and keep yourself in check so they won’t have anything to say about you!”
Is this easy? No! Especially when you know an injustice has been served. Am I getting the entire truth from both parties, though? Probably not. I’m sure I’m hearing what both of them want me to hear and not the whole truth. Certainly not the hand on the bible swearing to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth like they do in a court session before a witness takes the stand.
So this post is to any one out there that is reading it today. If you are a woman … please, I beg you, let’s work together to build each other up, not tear each other down! Life is hard. We all go through struggles. We do not know and have no way of knowing what someone else is going through. Be kinder than you normally would be because everyone is fighting some kind of battle. Whether it is a physical ailment, something emotional where they are grieving over the loss of someone or just hurting deep within their being, or whether they are struggling with some type of mental illness, anxiety, or depression … be kind. Extend grace. Show compassion. Give love. Is that so hard? No … it really and truly is not.
Please … let’s work together to build each other up. In the workplace, in schools, in churches, in different situations no matter what building you are in … if there are other women, work together to build each other up!
Love thy neighbor as thy self.
Would you pick yourself apart like you’re picking apart this woman?
Would you say those things about yourself like you’re saying about this woman?
Would you roll your eyes in the mirror or laugh at yourself like you’re about to where this woman is concerned?
Would you set out to be vindictive and do something harmful to yourself? Then why do it to other women around you?
Why complicate things with passive aggressive behavior or just out right aggression? Why can’t we all just get along??? That is the question of a lifetime, isn’t it?
Love. It covers all. Even various situations where women work, play, and live closely together.
Love. It conquers all the disputes in the world.
Love.
Period.
Wish
I know it has been asked before, but if you had just one wish … what would you wish for in life?
That is a tough one. Just ONE wish?
Would you wish for riches in the form of money or material possessions? I would hope not. Instead, I would hope that you’d dig deeper into your soul for something that truly matters more.
What about the people that are suffering in this life? The ones that hide their true feelings behind their plastered on or fake smile. The ones that laugh the loudest although their hearts are broken completely. Wouldn’t that one wish be better suited going for something like this to heal their hurting hearts? I’m sure they struggle on a day to day basis. They distance themselves, isolate themselves even, in an attempt to hide from this cruel world. So much pain has been inflicted upon them, and they hurt deep to their very core. The things that have happened to them make them question why they had to endure such abuse, heartache, and pain … why does bad things seem to always happen to good people and the bad ones get off free as they appear to skip merrily along in life? It doesn’t make sense at all. Yet, there are so many good people suffering in the world today at the hands of dark, evil people that have used and abused them. Some have had the unspeakable done to them, and yet they force a smile and try to figure out how to heal and move forward. Wouldn’t your wish be better spent on protection over the helpless, innocent little children that are mistreated, bullied, and abused that turn into shattered adults attempting to pick up the broken pieces of their hearts from their childhood days?
Would you wish for world peace so that there would never be any more wars taking place? World peace. That would certainly be refreshing. No need for guns, weapons of mass destruction, or the military to leave their families behind to go fight for our freedom any longer because the world would be living in peace and harmony.
While we cannot change this dark world all by ourselves, we can make a difference in the lives of the ones that we share our world with. We can be the change that we want to see in the world. It can start with us. It has to! We can take our wishes and apply them to our family and friends. We can extend this grace to our coworkers and any one else that we encounter during the day. We can lend a helping hand or give a pat on the back so that the person that might think inside that they are worthless and that no one cares will truly know that this negative self talk just is not true. If someone is questioning their worth and value, one act of kindness can begin to turn things around for them. You could be the person that makes this very real difference in their lives.
Let’s all re-evaluate our lives and actions to see what areas we can improve upon so that we can extend more grace, love, and compassion. We can work together right where we live to make a difference. What a wonderful world it would be if we all came together in one accord to share love – our love and God’s love!
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Karen’s prompt word of “Wish” got me to thinking and resulted in the above post.
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