Gratefulness – Standing in the Great Fullness of Life
During this time of chaos and fear, it is the perfect time to use our Thanksgiving holiday to remind ourselves to stand strong in gratitude. David Steindle-Rast, a Benedictine monk for the past 60 years, teaches us about gratitude and says, “When we are in gratefulness, we are standing in the great fullness of life.” During this time, when we have really stripped things down, we have the opportunity to recognize those moments that really do matter, this moment. (Steindl-Rast, 2018)
Steindel-Rast brings up a big point – when we are grateful, we are not fearful. When we are not fearful, we are not violent. When we give to others, we are not acting with scarcity, but sharing. All of these points seem significant for this time. Let’s use this holiday time as a rebooting, resetting our inner self and spending much more time being grateful than being fearful or disappointed in how things are going. Be in the moment. Enjoy the moment. Find the gifts and savor them. Sit in them. Be with them. Let them light you up. This will be a true gift for you as you manage your holiday season. And a true gift for the world during this time.
Works Cited:
Steindl-Rast, D. (2018, Sept). https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/4182.David_Steindl_Rast. Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com: https://www.goodreads.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Janie Pfeifer Watson
Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker
Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner- Janie Pfeifer Watson, LICSW, is the founder and director of Wholeness Healing Center, a mental health practice in Grand Island, Nebraska with remote sites in Broken Bow and Kearney. Her expertise encompasses a broad range of areas, including depression, anxiety, attachment and bonding, coaching, couples work, mindfulness, trauma, and grief. She views therapy as an opportunity to learn more about yourself as you step more into being your authentic self. From her perspective this is part of the spiritual journey; on this journey, she serves as a mirror for her clients as they get to know themselves—and, ultimately, to love themselves.
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