Life is a gift too often lived as a struggle to be overcome; yet, it’s easy to find the first ten things each of us can appreciate in the:
- cool breezes on a hot day
- smell of something baking
- laughter of a child
- beauty of the mountains
- roar of the ocean
- presence of love
- touch of another human being
- words “thank you”
- opportunity to be alive
- joy of knowing you know this.
When our eyes are focused on the human experience and its problems, we automatically get trapped in a struggle. When we are circumstance-focused and in our “stories”, we lose sight of the gift of being alive – reference our ‘first ten’ list above. Only when we focus on the good of in the moment, can we see it.
So is your life a gift or a battle? You choose. In a time of personal frustration, my brother once told me “You ride a gift-horse Mary, you don’t look it in the mouth.” So here’s your chance to get on and ride, ride, ride!
Question: Where is your focus, right now? Is it on a gift or a problem? Are you standing there complaining or are you riding?