Gratitude

It is the season of thanksgiving. In the past week, I have been reminded repeatedly of the beauty of a thankful heart. Practicing gratitude is a moment by moment choice. Negativity and the "have nots" assault us constantly and in these moments, I have a choice to make. I can choose to focus on what is bring life and joy or I can focus on what is not.

My heart's desire is to live my life wholeheartedly. My desire is to live present and joyful in all the moments I have been given. This is so much easier said than done! What I notice in my own life is my ability to engage in life becomes a whole lot easier when I practice gratitude in the midst of all things.

I find that as a parent, it can be easy for me to focus on what is not going well in my day or what current behavior in my children I am struggling with. What I have also learned is focusing on these things drains me and my ability to parent well. When I shift my focus to a practice of gratitude, my ability to engage wholeheartedly with my children increases.

Today, in the midst of the craziness of life, the referring of the fights, and the constant need to feed my growing boys, I am thankful for my two boys who make me laugh everyday. I am thankful for walks around the block in the dark with headlamps. I am thankful for a meal shared with my sisters who love me and my boys so deeply and for some crazy good ice cream to finish it off!