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Awareness of gratitude will allow you to savor and, above all, appreciate your life with renewed grace. Sometimes we forget to take the time to recognize the richness
that defines our lives. This may be because many of the messages we encounter
as we go about our affairs prompt us to think about what we don't have rather
than all the abundance we do enjoy. Consequently, our gratitude exists in perpetual
conflict with our desire for more, whether we crave time, convenience,
wealth, or enlightenment. Yet understanding and truly appreciating our
blessings can be as simple as walking a mile in another's shoes for a short
period of time. Because many of us lead comparatively insular lives, we may
not comprehend the full scope of our prosperity that is relative to our
sisters and brothers in humanity. If you find taking an inventory of your life's blessings difficult, consider
the ease with which you nourish your body and mind, feed your family, move
from place to place, and attend to tasks at hand. For a great number of
people, activities you may take for granted, such as attaining an education,
buying healthy food, commuting to work, or keeping a clean house, represent
great challenges. To experience firsthand the complex tests others face as a
matter of course in their daily lives, try living without the amenities you
most often take for granted. This can be a great experiment to undertake with
your entire family or a classroom. Understanding working poverty can be as
easy as endeavoring to buy nutritious foods with a budget of $100 for the
week. If you own a car, relying on public transportation for even just a day
can help you see the true value of the comfort and conveniences others do
without. As you explore a life without things you may normally take for
granted, ask yourself for how long you could endure.
The compassionate gratitude that floods your heart when you come to fully
realize your abundance may awaken pangs of guilt in your heart. Be aware,
however, that the purpose of such an experiment is to open your heart further
in gratitude and compassion. This awareness can help you attain a deeper
level of gratitude that will allow you to savor and, above all, appreciate
your life with renewed grace.
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