Being Thankful

It is so easy to be happy when things are going great, and grateful when someone does something wonderful for you.  But what about those times when life is handing you lemons? When you are disappointed, or upset by  the circumstance you find yourself in?  Maybe someone isn't acting the way you expected?  We are so fortunate that we get to choose how we feel each and every day, and if we are mindful we can shift our automatic thought patterns to find the silver lining in every cloud (or at least keep the clouds at bay)  Set a good example for your children by showing them an attitude of gratitude, they will be better equipped to handle life's lows, and so will you.  No one has summed it up better than Melody Beattie: "It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.”