05/31/2026
#25: GRATITUDE CHANGES EVERYTHING.
Gratitude doesn’t change our circumstances nearly as much as it changes us. When we focus on what we lack, life feels smaller. When we focus on what we’ve been given, even ordinary moments become gifts.
I struggled for most of my life to be GRATEFUL and CONTENT. I viewed life as a competitor, not a journey. Being smaller, poorer, less than "whatever," I had to fight harder, last longer, and be better. I never viewed the PRESENT ("what is") with any satisfaction. There was never an "A" in my grading scale.
My successes were the result of failure, dissatisfaction, pain, and stamina. As I aged, the pain increased, and the stamina slowly disappeared. In my late 40s, life ran me over. By 50, I was barely breathing.
And that's when I chose to be BETTER, not BITTER. Which meant I chose to be THANKFUL and SATISFIED in the present.
My gratitude shifted my perspective from scarcity to ABUNDANCE, from frustration to CONTENTMENT, and from entitlement to JOY.
The more I practice thankfulness, the more I discover that happiness isn’t found in having MORE—it’s found in APPRECIATING what I already have MORE.
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV)
Prayer: Heavenly Father, open my eyes to the blessings I often overlook. Teach me to live with a grateful heart and to find joy in Your daily gifts. Amen.
WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR, FROM THIS PAST WEEK?
++NOTE: Hopefully you're enjoying this short thought about 63 truths that I learned in 63 years. Each day I hope to release a new one, if my schedule allows.
