Daily Gratitude

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-Huffington Post photo
As we age, many of us have struggles with health and energy. We used to be able to do ordinary activities without much effort like shopping, walking, reading, cleaning, etc. Now we need hearing aids, canes, magnifying glasses, and other paraphernalia to navigate. Yet we still have much to be grateful for every day. A doctor who advocates holistic treatment suggests that her patients name five things they are grateful for before they go to bed each night. I tried it and found it a good reminder of how blessed I am. I thanked God for the gift of life, friends, intelligence, a sense of humor, and spring the first night. The next day I expressed gratitude for green grass, flowers, trees, books, and eyes to see. The following day I was grateful for computers, coffee, fresh fruit, homemade bread, and chocolate. As I enumerated things I was was thankful for, I thought less about my aches and pains. It made me more optimistic about living in this day and age with so many more comforts than earlier generations had. I don't have to carry in water from a well, walk several miles to a store, launder clothes with a washboard, or beat rugs with a broom. It improved my outlook and I actually began to feel better. It sounds so simple, but it really is more effective than any medicine I've tried. And I don't think my list of thanks will ever run out.

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