Practicing Gratitude in Tough Times

                   HOLLY STAPLETON FOR WSJ. MAGAZINE

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing

give thanks in all circumstances;

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 

                    1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NRSV

I find it hard not to be testy these days. There are people in this country, some of them claiming to be Christians getting their direction straight from God, who feel that they have a right to disrupt the lives of the rest of us Canadians by invading Ottawa and blocking border crossings. Their perverse notions of freedom are, in fact, immaturity and selfishness of the highest order. All this while the majority of us have often made choices for the common good.Grrrr...

Enter a recent piece in the Wall Street Journal, of all sources, on the importance of gratitude, and the common thread in a column with this header:

Is the Secret to Happiness Having a Gratitude Practice? Even spending just a few minutes a day practicing gratitude can facilitate better sleep and lower blood pressure, according to research. How to get in on the healthy, easy wellness routine.

The author, Lane Florsheim, notes that the My Monday Morning column has a "common unifer" in a practice of the rich and famous who share their habits: 

Before author Stephen King gets out of bed in the morning, he runs through a mental inventory of the things he’s grateful for. So does actor Tracee Ellis Ross. Musician and director Questlove writes a 15-item gratitude list every Sunday. Nike CEO John Donahoe spends time meditating n questions like, “What am I grateful for in the broad sense of my life? What am I grateful for in the previous day?” Actor Kate Hudson restarted her gratitude journaling after a reflective Thanksgiving car ride. Model Bella Hadid likes listening to a daily gratitude meditation every morning.

The cynical amongst us might feel that its easy to be grateful when you are rich, or famous, or beautiful, or any combination of these. The reality is that these celebs are often selfish, entitled and profoundly unhappy. Engaging in these gratitude practices makes a lot of sense. 

In what is probably the apostle Paul's first general letter he encourages an "attitude of gratitude" in all circumstances. He certainly lived this despite privation and physical threat. In some respects the letters which became part of our Christian New Testament have elements of the gratitude journal about them. 

In my personal journal I try to express thanks regularly, even during the tough times. When we walk/cycle/paddle/ski in nature we often stop to give thanks for the beauty of Creation. 

So, being an old white guy may be my lot in life, but I don't have to be a grumpy old white guy. Ruth would probably say "amen" to that.