Now is a Good Time to Be Grateful
Being in the middle of a pandemic—“sheltered in place” with fears about physical and financial security—is legitimately a worrisome situation. Yet, there are still learning opportunities to be found as we navigate this uncharted territory. My wise father, Mendek Rubin, believed that life is like a school and we are all here to grow in wisdom, love and joy. During this difficult time, I’m aiming to adopt both his attitude and many of the practices he utilized on his healing journey.
My Mendek-inspired affirmation for this week has been, “Now is a good time to be grateful.” As I’ve been focusing on gratitude, I see why it was so important for my father to plant new seeds of joy within himself as he pulled out the weeds of his suffering. He once wrote that when he was filled to the brim with love, there was no longer room for fear, and I am finding the same can be true for gratitude.
What a powerful time to have a gratitude practice! While so many of the freedoms and securities I’ve taken for granted are no longer unavailable, I am finding that there are still countless blessings that remain. Thinking about which businesses are “essential” and can continue to operate, makes me pay attention to how interdependent and interconnected we all are, which brings to mind the part of a Buddhist meal chant I’ve always loved: “Innumerable labors brought us this food. May we know how it comes to us.”
The benefits of gratitude—dedicating time to counting our blessings (instead of cataloging our burdens)—are well researched and documented. They include reducing stress; making us happier, more optimistic and compassionate; and improving our relationships and overall health. Gratitude for small things (being able to spend the entire day in our pajamas) is just as beneficial as gratitude for the biggest things (the wellbeing of our family), because so much of the power of this practice comes from the intention to focus on the good in every area of our lives.
