“Thank You God for Another Great Year”

Many times when life is hectic we take for granted what we have until it disappears. But to grow as a spiritual aspirant gratitude is embraced from one moment to the next. Here are a few things that most people take for granted but are very important.

I am grateful to be able to walk - Noticing those who don’t have mobility because of disease or some other challenge it’s important to be grateful for the simple act of walking upright. It seems so simple yet once we lose our ability to walk we never take it for granted again. A while back I feel off the house and broke my foot, and it took one year to heal completely. When in a wheel chair I had a great sense of compassion for all those who are suffering, all those who can’t walk. It made me look at life in a whole new way.

I am grateful for food - Sometimes we take for granted that having food is normal. But in reality it’s really not normal at all, billions of people hardly have enough food to survive on every single day. Thus food is a blessing bestowed upon us and it’s important to be grateful for every morsel.

I am grateful for my spouse - When two people live together it’s easy to take for granted the fact that we have a loving, caring, person in our life. We just get up and expect they will be there. But we never know what might happen, and it’s vitally important to be grateful for the person we share our life with. And it’s also important that we share those sentiments with our spouse.

I am grateful for lots of family - In many cultures including where I live in Puerto Rico family is everything. And when something goes wrong and we need help, or someone is in need, family comes running to help us through the hard times. Having grown up in a small family and now having all of my wife’s relatives in my life, I am so grateful for having all these wonderful people to share life with… it makes life very exciting and interesting.

I am grateful for good health - Having good health can be very fleeting, it can come and go at a moments notice. We can be alive and feeling great one day and not feeling good the next. We can be feeling great and then we can have an accident and be immobilized for a long time. Great health is something that many of us take for granted and never bring to mind until we are sick. It’s important to reflect on the fact that we are healthy and able to do whatever we want to do… good health is a blessing.

I am grateful for having life long passions - It’s easy to become trapped and just go through the motions of life and live life without passions. But to have something that makes us excited about being alive is wonderful, enjoyable, and uplifts our spirit. Passion for what we do, passion for something we share with other people, and passion for being alive is amazing. Personally I feel grateful for the passio
I feel for God, the Universe, and the One and Only… I am blessed.

I am grateful for the ability to help others - Living life just taking care of the one we see in the mirror is all well and good. But to be able to share with others and help those who are in needs uplifts our spirit and makes us feel alive. This is what Mother Teresa lived for, helping people in Calcutta, people who had no where else to go. Helping others not only helps those in need, it also helps the one doing the giving.

I am grateful for a positive attitude - Every single thought, every single idea, every single action hinges on our ability to have a positive attitude. Being a positive person is something to be grateful for. Because if we were not positive our life goes spiraling down into depression. And it’s so easy to get caught up into negativity. So it’s very important we take the time to be thankful for having a positive attitude.

I am thankful for never being alone - I have to say that one of the most important aspects of my life is the fact that I am never alone. I always have God, the Universe, and the One and Only to talk to… it also fills me up from the inside out. Just like Nelson Mandella who knew from a deep place that he was never alone, especially when he spent so many years in prison.

Here are just a few simple things to be grateful for. Make your own list, and recount the year and all the small things that are important in your life.

Many Blessings to Everyone

Dr. Paul Haider