Gratitude

When we first moved into our house, there was a spigot dripping water outside. It would drip all day and night; tiny drops of water fell into the rocks and were wasted. Once we noticed this was happening, my husband stuck a bucket underneath it to catch the water, until he had time to fix it. The water continued to drip all day and night but now we were catching it in a bucket and over time it would fill up. Then we could dump the water onto our plants and use it for good rather then letting it go to waste.

Now, imagine that the water dripping from the spigot represents our blessings; constant, consistent, usually small blessings dripping into our lives daily. When we don’t make an effort to recognize our blessings, they can easily be taken for granted, forgotten and ignored. This is like losing the precious water into the rocks. Gratitude is like the bucket that catches and stores our blessings, allowing us to use them in our everyday lives and share them with those around us. Cicero once said, “Gratitude is not only
the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.”

In this season of thanksgiving, as we express gratitude for our blessings, may we find joy, peace, and healing in our daily lives. Happy Thanksgiving!

-Chelsea Prince