Gratitude in the Storm

Life throws some real curveballs at us. People don’t act the way we want. Events don’t happen according to our timeline. Unexpected trauma happens. It’s easy to become anxious when something is beyond our understanding or control.

Undoubtedly, we cannot influence the weather. I live in the Washington, D.C. area. We were just hit with the worst blizzard in the past 90 years.  24 inches of snow was forecast. The final accumulation was likely closer to 40 inches.  I have never seen so much snow in my front yard!

This was the view of my street yesterday. We took this picture from the front hallway of my house. These blizzard conditions are unusual for my area of the country.  They’re more common in the Northeast.

I panicked, as many people would. That attitude wasn’t helping me to prepare for the storm, though. It also didn’t help me to literally dig myself out of it. I had to face the fact that I wasn’t going to be able to control the weather. It was one of those “It is what it is” situations.

I decided to be grateful for the advantages that helped me through the trial: water, electricity, and food. Such an attitude is difficult for a perfectionist who only wants to dwell on what is not going right.

Quotes on Gratitude

From The Bible

“And let the peace of God rule in your heart, to the which also you are called in one body, and be you thankful.”—Colossians 3:15

From Entrepreneur.com

“Gratitude always comes into play; research shows that people are happier if they are grateful for the positive things in their lives, rather than worrying about what might be missing.”—Dan Buettner

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“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.”—Maya Angelou

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“The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but the thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings.”—Henry Ward Beecher

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“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.”—Marcus Tullius Cicero

My Conclusion

Gratitude is the only way to move forward through our natural anxiety. As Michael Bernard says, “Nothing new can come into your life unless you are grateful for what you already have.”

What are you grateful for today?