Between Maps and Meaning

We must in our lives remember to be grateful. It is so very easy to succumb to things like self pity, depression, anxiety, and much more. I myself catch myself all the time slipping down the slopes of sadness. There’s a place in our lives for these emotions. I would never recommend someone hide from their feelings. At the same time, sometimes we must prove to our mind and hearts that we are the master of our domain. We control the thoughts that enter our minds, we decided how those thoughts make us feel, and we determine when it’s time to start finding the light at the end of a dark tunnel. When all else seems lost, we need to remember gratefulness.

In the midst of a horrible and tough breakup last year I found pity an oddly comforting friend. I knew I could not live my life that way for much longer and expect it to be very fruitful. I can remember last December sitting in a random coffee shop trying to get some sense of holiday cheer from a Peppermint Mocha, but completely failing feeling like my world could only implode more. Until I looked up. I could see a family enjoying an evening together, and a couple spending some quality December time with one another. I suddenly felt some surge of happiness and hope. I went home and made it a point to enjoy my family. I had something to smile about that I completely forgot. Those strangers in that coffee shop reminded me that my world although it was imploding, and I was awfully hurt… They reminded me I still had things worth smiling about. People who cared, pets that I loved, a bed that on a night like tonight I could not be more grateful for. Gratefulness is a pill to cure our sadness and get us out of our ruts. Take a moment each day to think about what you are grateful for, and especially in times of emotional crisis. Remember you still have something worth smiling for.