I am renewing, Gentle Reader, the Gratitude series. I can't think of a theme more important or significant, especially in this age of entitlement that reduces many of us to the most disgraceful whining, spoiled rich kids. I just spent time with a particularly challenging client today. I will not go into detail, given the legitimate demands of confidentiality. I will say this much: I know many people who would find his life enviable and there is no rational base to his miserable attitude.
Selfishness and misery seem to go hand in glove. The less interested we are in other people's lives, the more preoccupied we become with ourselves. Any minor problems or difficulties get blown way out of proportion. There seems to be a particularly toxic property about selfishness. It is really a refusal, or negation of love.
I am a Christian. A lot of my Gentle Readers know this already. I believe not only in a God of love but that God is love. Here I am not interested in specious arguments about why a loving God would allow a world full of rape, murder, bigotry, and whining little mall rats. We were given free will and in a lot of things we have to accept that we are on our own, that it is our job, not God's to clean up the mess we have made of things.
That said, love is the founding principle and the ruling energy of the universe. It is about relationship, dialogue, communication, and mutual giving. This is what makes it all work, from the tiniest nanoparticles to the newest galaxy. We share this universe with other worlds. We share this world with other life forms. Our ability to do well in our world depends entirely on our attitude towards other humans, and other species.
For me, making an effort to reach out to others, to somehow positively touch another life, is essential for keeping me stable and happy. Cultivating an attitude of gratitude and thanksgiving sustains me in this.
Like many others, I have my own laundry list of minor complaints: cold weather in April, miserable people, noisy neighbours, a small paycheque, a neurotic and hypersensitive laptop computer. I balance these little discontents by seeking something to appreciate. The weather is unseasonably cold, but the air is sweet and fresh and the city full of flowers. Miserable people help me learn empathy. I have noisy neighbours but my earplugs work rather well. My paycheque may be small but I love what I do and my rent is very cheap. And I still have daily, good internet access which helps keep me informed, in touch with friends, entertained, and able to keep writing this blog.
When I am out walking I still try to look at others with interest, but not too much interest since I am not a creep. I will say hi to strangers, whether they respond or not, because I know that we are not alone in this world and because I love others I will still do my part to remind people that they are not alone.
Am I always happy? No. Do I never complain? Don't be ridiculous. Have I learned how to laugh at myself? Well, I am learning. We do take ourselves rather too seriously, eh?
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