Skewed Gratitude again..!
(I am revisiting this topic from a 2019 post ’cause it just makes sense to me!)
I’m feeling grateful for stuff that never happened!
I spilled the hot chocolate all over the counter. At least it didn’t go into the silverware drawer.
And there was the leaking roof in that August. At least it was only half the roof and thus half the cost.
And that breast cancer diagnosis…at least it wasn’t a Stage 4.
I don’t really think I am a Pollyanna, that sunny and fictitious orphan. But my “at least” habit seems like a great coping mechanism! For me, the gratitude-for-what-hasn’t-happened mindset has been a way of using my hperactive imagination for good.
Pollyanna (of the book and the movie) used her imagination by seeing the good in people. She frequently played “The Glad Game”, where she attempted to find something to appreciate in every situation no matter how unfortunate. She even chose to be grateful for receiving crutches in the missionary package instead of a doll one Christmas because it was great that she didn’t actually need them!
Have you ever experienced gratitude
- for what wasn’t,
- for what you didn’t have,
- for what didn’t happen?
Haven’t you ever been aware that things could be worse? Have you ever said to yourself, ‘at least no one died”? You know that things could always be worse!
It’s such a reminder that our experiences can be either blessings or lessons and that we can be grateful in either case!
And I can vouch that my “at least” habit brings me daily boosts of positive emotions and, even on occasion, rueful laughter!
2 Comments
You have such a fun way of writing bits of wisdom that I enjoy being reminded of.
Doris, I think we need all the reminders we can get! Thanks for connecting…