With thankfulness.

Not that long ago, I was having a ‘not ok’ day. All the things I physically struggle with were right in my face. I was feeling very sorry for myself. But after I had a cry, I thought, it’s time to turn away from all this and think about the good things that are also all around me.

This is a tough discipline when life is hard, and I know sometimes it’s impossible. But if you can, listing what you’re thankful for can really hoist you out of the doldrums. You know, Pollyanna and her ‘glad game’ have their advantages…

That day I had to dry my eyes, come down the stairs and look at my family. I smelt the dinner being cooked for us, listened to my dog rustling round her bed and lifted my phone to see how my friends were surviving this thin, covid time. And that’s only a few out of the many that can pull me out of misery into thankfulness.

We can’t force ourselves to be happy. We can’t manufacture contentment. But we can find things to be thankful for, no matter what we’re dealing with.

Maybe our hearts are broken, grieving, lost, lonely, despairing. My hope and prayer is that you will be able to fill them with thankfulness.

I’ll have a go, if you do too?