It is Sunday morning and I have just taken a shower. Something we all probably take for granted. I started the shower with the thought of gratitude, that I was even taking a shower. I have been in bed sick for 3 days. I lay there thinking. I should eat something. I should take a shower. I will feel better. Did not eat much of anything. No shower. It would take to much effort. I talked myself out of doing anything. It was never a long conversation. Inaction won the battle for 3 days.
I knew taking a shower was the key to my new life. When I was growing up and was sick, after 2 or 3 days my Mom would come into my room and say "Okay, get up take a bath. You are done being sick". I do not know how she picked the number. But it was correct. A shower is a sign of change. You want to feel different. Take a shower.
I could have taken the shower at midnight. Yes, I reasoned it would be better to wait till later. So I took my shower at 9. Gratitude would have taken the shower at midnight. Gratitude crept in a 9 am with my Mom's voice. I thought of the hot water experience and was grateful for the hot water. I was grateful for the Doterra shampoo that lasts me 6 months. I was grateful the drain was not frozen. I was grateful I did not drop the soap. I was grateful for the breakfast that was waiting for me.
Taking a hot shower. Most of the people in the world would gladly switch with me. Lots of people have never experienced a hot shower. In Russia, the hot water gets turned off every summer for as long as a month. Lots of people do not even have a shower. Lots of people do not have clean drinking water, let alone a hot shower.
I held my attention to each of these as I took my shower. Really enjoying my life as it was unfolding this morning. The thought came to me yesterday you need a subject for an article to get The Good Life Mall rolling. Today you have one, “Grateful to Take a Shower”.
Happiness is not getting what you want. It is being grateful for what you have. I am grateful today for what I have. Thanks, Mom for the orders. I would have chosen at least an extra day. My life would have been a lot shorter.
Comments
Hot Shower. There was a time that I did not have that luxury, I often forget how quickly that can change. The 3 day rule made me laugh. You brought back a great memory for me of my mom, coming into my room and letting me know that all things are better now- (Life lesson get up and move and things quickly change)-Thank you. I was studying something and came across the idea that I get to choose to be in a state of Joy and Play- when I do this Gratitude is there. I know this website will help me stay there.
That could be put in the journal on the thing from the past turned into something good.
I love a hot shower. I stay and feel the water running as long as possible. It is a luxuary that I truly enjoy and am grateful to have.
It was really good to read this Lefty, thank you for sharing. I lose perspective all the time, and take for garnted so many things. I traveled the world back in 2006 and can attest to the fact that MANY people in this world do not have the luxury of taking a hot shower. I did not take a hot shower in India for two weeks, it was really difficult. In fact, my showers consisted in pouring buckets of cold water over my head. It was a lesson in humility and the reality that this is how many people in this country live. I aso related to the idea that taking an action step will improve my life, when sometimes I just choose to "lie in bed". I want to understand gratitude better, I want to live my life with gratitude. I have so much to be grateful for.
Gratitude has to be felt deeply. Use the journal I gave you at the retreat to feel your life at a deeper level. Pick something you take for granted and write an article about it an post it here.