Comments on: The Secret: Gratitude http://www.ryanmendenhall.com/blog/2007/07/02/the-secret-gratitude.htm thoughts & musings of a would be king Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:05:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: tigerlilly http://www.ryanmendenhall.com/blog/2007/07/02/the-secret-gratitude.htm/comment-page-1#comment-61 tigerlilly Wed, 04 Jul 2007 05:51:26 +0000 http://www.ryanmendenhall.com/blog/?p=71#comment-61 I have a six-year-old brother who isn't very gracious sometimes. For example, we'll do a fun activity, like we'll go on a walk to the park and play and laugh and have a good time. When we're done, I'll ask him how he liked the fun activity, and he'll say, "I didn't like it because I didn't get to go down the slide enough times" or something lame like that. And I'll think, "Good grief! You had ALL this fun, and you're focusing on the ONE thing that didn't please you! How greedy!! You can't be pleased, no matter what people do for you!" I get all wrapped up in how selfish this little kid is, and then suddenly I'll think, "What in MY life can I be more grateful for? What in MY life am I too greedy about? My hands are stubby -- boo hoo. I have a million things going RIGHT for me, and I'm worried about stubby hands, and with stubby hands, I can't be grateful for anything else I have. How pathetic." ("Stubby hands" are, of course, just an example I just thought of right now because I am typing with them and I see them, but the example can be filled in with some more specific example if I can think of it.) The point is, it's pathetic not to be grateful. Billie Holliday couldn't sing many notes. But she didn't cry about it and wish she were dead because of it. She made wonderful music with the voice she had. Louis Armstrong didn't have a smooth, dreamy voice, either. His was raspy and a bit harsh. But he worked with it and was able to bless millions of people. It's a lot harder to bless others' lives when we're ungrateful and selfish with our own, isn't it? I have a six-year-old brother who isn’t very gracious sometimes. For example, we’ll do a fun activity, like we’ll go on a walk to the park and play and laugh and have a good time. When we’re done, I’ll ask him how he liked the fun activity, and he’ll say, “I didn’t like it because I didn’t get to go down the slide enough times” or something lame like that. And I’ll think, “Good grief! You had ALL this fun, and you’re focusing on the ONE thing that didn’t please you! How greedy!! You can’t be pleased, no matter what people do for you!” I get all wrapped up in how selfish this little kid is, and then suddenly I’ll think, “What in MY life can I be more grateful for? What in MY life am I too greedy about? My hands are stubby — boo hoo. I have a million things going RIGHT for me, and I’m worried about stubby hands, and with stubby hands, I can’t be grateful for anything else I have. How pathetic.” (“Stubby hands” are, of course, just an example I just thought of right now because I am typing with them and I see them, but the example can be filled in with some more specific example if I can think of it.) The point is, it’s pathetic not to be grateful. Billie Holliday couldn’t sing many notes. But she didn’t cry about it and wish she were dead because of it. She made wonderful music with the voice she had. Louis Armstrong didn’t have a smooth, dreamy voice, either. His was raspy and a bit harsh. But he worked with it and was able to bless millions of people.

It’s a lot harder to bless others’ lives when we’re ungrateful and selfish with our own, isn’t it?

]]> By: Mom http://www.ryanmendenhall.com/blog/2007/07/02/the-secret-gratitude.htm/comment-page-1#comment-60 Mom Wed, 04 Jul 2007 02:49:32 +0000 http://www.ryanmendenhall.com/blog/?p=71#comment-60 It is really essential that we all step back every day and acknowledge all the many waonderful blessings that we have been given. We ARE a blessed people! We have a roof over our head, food, and all the necessities of life. If we become complacent about them, then we wallow in pity that we aren't rich, don't drive a Mercedes, etc... We are blessed with the love of Heavenly Father and our Savior! Thanks for reminding me of that fact! I love you! It is really essential that we all step back every day and acknowledge all the many waonderful blessings that we have been given. We ARE a blessed people! We have a roof over our head, food, and all the necessities of life. If we become complacent about them, then we wallow in pity that we aren’t rich, don’t drive a Mercedes, etc… We are blessed with the love of Heavenly Father and our Savior! Thanks for reminding me of that fact! I love you!

]]> By: Emily http://www.ryanmendenhall.com/blog/2007/07/02/the-secret-gratitude.htm/comment-page-1#comment-59 Emily Tue, 03 Jul 2007 04:15:42 +0000 http://www.ryanmendenhall.com/blog/?p=71#comment-59 This is powerful. I feel a lot of "negative" emotions lately about a big change that's coming up in my life--emotions such as fear, anxiety, sadness, impatience--coupled with positive ones like excitement, and it all kind of buries me in this heap of intensity. I've found the only thing that will give me peace in those times is to be grateful that the Savior has a plan for me and that He is guiding me in it. When I acknowledge that fact, all those intense emotions become a very vibrant background to my world, they're still there, but they no longer effect my happiness or misery. This is powerful. I feel a lot of “negative” emotions lately about a big change that’s coming up in my life–emotions such as fear, anxiety, sadness, impatience–coupled with positive ones like excitement, and it all kind of buries me in this heap of intensity. I’ve found the only thing that will give me peace in those times is to be grateful that the Savior has a plan for me and that He is guiding me in it. When I acknowledge that fact, all those intense emotions become a very vibrant background to my world, they’re still there, but they no longer effect my happiness or misery.

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