I recently heard someone say during an interview that he wanted to “live life without amnesia”. He did not want to forget God did something miraculous in his life. He was sharing the story of how a total stranger reached out to his mother and ultimately reset the entire course of her (and his) life through their act of kindness. The seemingly insignificant act of noticing her as she walked down the street with the weight of the world on her shoulders and caring enough to take the time to walk over and tell her she was not alone… that God loved her and had not forgotten about her. I’ll spare the details but the direction of her life was headed into a dark place and this one encounter changed everything. It really just goes to show the difference we can make in the world.

What an inspiring attitude – never wanting to forget a blessing. How many have been blessed in some form or fashion only to have forgotten? Daily life and all it’s distractions have a way of keeping us busy thinking about them and sadly it’s too easy to let the “urgent” overshadow the “important”. Perhaps you do not have a life changing blessing that you are aware of but I guarantee there is an act of kindness or some sort of gift from the Divine you can hold onto with gratitude. Everyone should have a few – especially for the tough days… the days when it serves us best to count our blessings. Find something to be grateful for whether it’s a hot cup of coffee, surviving an auto crash, being reunited with a loved one, an early morning walk, receiving guidance in a dream on a major decision you were struggling with, getting the job you hoped for, being “woken up”, a fresh picked tomato, sunset on the lake, personally experiencing some aspect of the Divine, finding your dream house, having love in your life, a warm fireplace on a rainy fall day… something – gratitude equals gratitude.

It is when our hearts are open that we can “hear” the Divine. Gratitude does just that. Life is short – make the best of it. What the “best” is, is up to you – no one else. But whatever your definition, gratitude will help you achieve it…. if you choose to remember.

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