I’ve been reminding myself that an attitude of gratitude may not make everything better, but it opens the way to seeing the positive in every situation, and there is always something for which to be grateful—being alive for one. I’ve been fighting a nasty virus for six days now, and it doesn’t seem to be getting any better. My daughter took me to Urgent Care yesterday, but since it is a virus, they said it is simply a matter of waiting it out. They did test me for COVID, and fortunately, that test came back negative. So as I hack and cough and drink hot tea to soothe my throat, I am practicing gratitude for simply being alive with all of the perks that go with being alive, mentally alert, and able to get around on my own..
When we are sick, it can be so tempting to focus on what is wrong, rather than focusing on being grateful that God created us with such an amazing immune system that knows what it is doing. When times are challenging, these are the times when being grateful is truly important. It is easy to be grateful when things are going well, but gratitude is most needed when we face challenges. In my practice of gratitude, I have been focusing on things outside of myself, but getting sick has reminded me that it is critically important that I thank my body and my Creator for this life I’ve been blessed with. Getting sick is reminding me that I have been much blessed that I am rarely sick and that life, with all of its blessings and challenges, is a gift to be treasured.
