A Grateful Heart

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By: Cynthia Litman, Esq.
 
Pearl of the Post: Flowing Grace

Cake Pop Heart by Blanka's Kitchen

As my friend Jessica said "#gratitude is trending right now", indeed, Thanksgiving leftovers serve an abundance of gratitude tweets and posts.

Jean Baptiste Massieu said the pearl "Gratitude is the memory of the heart" and I'm grateful for the annual gratitude trend and my resolution is to live with a grateful heart all year long.

Some moments are easier than others.

It's almost like forgetting the meaning of Christmas when you get swooped up in the commotion of your daily life. Yet when you do take a moment to slow down feel, become wildly aware or are reminded through the eyes of another, gratefulness melts your soul. Then being Santa's little helper feels like a blessing instead of an endlessly overwhelming chore.

Gratitude erases the ego, humbles your pride and fills your void.

It turns the mundane tasks of life like washing dishes into the spiritual experience of I'm cleansing my family's dishes so we can nourish ourselves or taking your car in for a refill on brake fuel from a major 2 day inconvenience to a moment of sincere thankfulness that you discovered this before driving your kids off to sports class.

"Whatever you did for one of my least brothers or sisters, you did for me." ~ Matthew

Many only find gratitude through the comparison of themselves to others or by having what others are lacking. 

There's a pearl there as things can always be worse. After recently seeing a mini Skid Row down 33rd Street in Manhattan, my gratitude for having shelter turned to feeling major guilt for continuing on my journey to Penn Station. Knowing not what lies in their hearts, my heart felt grateful for the gentle reminder.

NYC, Dec 2013

 Taking a nice long look in the mirror of your soul and being grateful for all the good along with every lesson, heartbreak, stretch mark and shattered dream is the road to opening yourself wide to a constant state of grace.

When my dreams were shattered and my material world crumbled, finding gratitude for the simplest things woke me up. I thought I was "spiritual" beforehand but was somehow disconnected.  

Seeing things really small and simply created a joy I would never have otherwise discovered if life had gone exactly as I had planned. 

I was in a constant chase to fill my life with beautiful things - all which I gratefully received - but none were as beautiful, simple or as utterly fulfilling as the breath of life and feeling the breath of my children.

Heavenly Sky

The second I look up and out into the sky, the world opens up. Suddenly, I am turned over to a greater power at play and my being melts with gratitude. Hence my skypics!

Last year around the holidays, us in the Northeast were still shaking from the after effects of Hurricane Sandy. This year I was so grateful to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family, in a warm home, all cozy by the fire. 

The smaller your gratitude, the bigger your joy. Think small and feel it big!!

Related Content:

Gratitude Video: This video on Gratitude via Synergy TV (a client that I am most grateful for) is truly beautiful to watch and serves as a gentle reminder of all the gifts we are bestowed upon this earth. http://synergytvnetwork.com/videos/gratitude/

SKYPICS on Instagram: Share in my gratitude of life's beauty with my SkyPic series on Instagram @Cynpearls

YEAR END APPEALS:
Please consider adding these organizations to your Christmas list as each has in some way truly added value to my life and deepened my gratitude.
Sid Jacobson's JCC - Give the Gift of Camp: The JCC's annual campaign to raise tuition funds to sponsor a child's summer at camp, for campers who otherwise cannot afford it.
Port Septa - My local Special Education Parent Teacher Association who provides invaluable resources and programs for our community.

GRATEFUL FOR YOU!!!

HOW YOU TAP INTO A GRATEFUL HEART? WILL BE GRATEFUL TO HEAR IN THE COMMENTS BELOW OR VIA EMAIL

Originally published on Gabrielle Bernstein's website www.HerFuture.com 
Copyright © 2013 Cynthia Litman d/b/a Tigris Imprints. All Rights Reserved.

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