Attitude of Gratitude

If you want to turn your life around, try thankfulness.

It will change your life mightily.

~Gerald Good

I slid into bed exhausted. I shook my head as I remembered something I had read a few days earlier: “If you don’t go around barking all day, you won’t go to bed dog-tired at night.” Well, I wasn’t one to go around barking all day, but I certainly did my share of whining and whimpering to myself. Maybe that was why I was so tired.

I had been teaching and brought home more music theory books to correct. It had been a long, hard day, and I was disgruntled with many things. As usual, near the top of my list were my husband and his lack of help. Why couldn’t he help out more? Why couldn’t he see what I was struggling to do and lend a hand? The children needed constant care and supervision. The yard and garden work were never-ending. The wash was piling up, and my kitchen floor needed to be washed — again! All these things had been eating away at me all day. I mumbled a quick prayer and was soon fast asleep.

Sometime later, I awoke with the words from my dream ringing in my ears. “I’ll meet you over at the appreciation table.”

In my dream, I seemed to be at a large conference where there was so much commotion that I almost walked right past someone whom I knew to be very important. Was it God? He told me to meet him at the appreciation table, whatever that was.

Now I lay there in the darkness pondering his words. Of course! He was trying to tell me to be appreciative of my husband, children and home instead of bemoaning all the little things I would like changed. How easy it was to get all tied up in what I would like to have, instead of being grateful for what I did have.

As a new morning dawned, I realized I also had to start a “new” day with a new way of thinking about my husband and our home. With God’s help I would choose to turn each negative thought into a positive thought or prayer. As I folded the laundry and matched up the socks, I thanked God for the little feet that pitter-pattered around our house. I thanked God for a husband who chose to spend his evenings at home. I could also appreciate the fact that he worked hard all day to support us, and I could fathom why he felt he deserved a break. Over the next few weeks, I learned to look for the positive and found I was a much happier person for it.

“I’ll meet you over at the appreciation table.” These words from a dream turned my life around! They helped me adjust my attitude and brought me to a beautiful place of thankfulness and true contentment.

— Annie Riess —