NC Grateful.......
Updated: Oct 20, 2022
I made it home yesterday from six days in North Carolina. While on the road home, the thought of "gratefulness" reverberated in my mind. My cousin Rodney and I spent a good bit of time in conversation on various topics, and gratitude came up. There are those who show it and there are those that don't. Unfortunately, there are those who never will, as they believe that things given them are deserved or owed. But that's neither here nor there.
In my highway ponderings, my mind ran to Rachel, a worker at the resort where I spent four of my six days in North Cackalacky. Rachel was a genuinely pleasant soul and you couldn't help but take on her positive energy. Her smile and spirit were pure sunshine. I am truly grateful for Rachel, her smile, her spirit, and her service.
My mind, then ran to my cousins, Rodney and Stacie, who opened their home to me for a couple of days. They fed me and sheltered me. I am truly grateful. As I mentioned before, there was much conversation that took place. It had been years since we had such time to spend together. Sunday night, Cousin Stacie presented me with a gift. She made a tumbler that I feel captures the essence of me. This cup holds all of who I am. I am not sure she knew the magnitude of what she was doing but I am GRATEFUL that she heeded the call of her heart to make it happen.
I say all of that to say this: Gratitude is one thing, and Gratefulness is something totally different. This is just one light-skint cat's opinion, but hear me out. I feel that gratitude is quick and fleeting, like fake positivity. There those who are positive one day and act like they don't even know you the next. Take the aforementioned Rachel, for instance. She exuded positivity and kindness. There was like an invisible forcefield of awesomeness surrounding her. It was a natural thing for her and the energy, you'd know was real and lasting. Gratefulness, to me, is ongoing and is a catalyst to future actions. Gratefulness moves me to do better and be better. Paying it forward is a great way of being grateful.
Gratefulness is ever-present, and in perpetual motion.
Gratefulness moves you to make effort to never find yourself in situations and on cycles that someone has helped you out of and off of. Think about it. Grateful moves you to say, "Hey Kinfolk, Friend, Stranger! Your help, blessing, investment will not be squandered on me!" So, the result of gratefulness is improved life, better decisions, and the dying of toxic habits. Again, these are just my opinions.
I can say "Thank you Rachel!", "Thank you Rodney!", or "Thank you Stacie!" but if I don't echo their actions in my life, moving forward, what good is the thanks? I have been the squanderer of blessings in the past, but I have learned to take my blessings and improve my life and circumstances so that I can move down the path of life, blessing and uplifting others.
Those who have ears to hear, let them hear.......
P.S. Why am I so grateful?? I've realized and accepted the fact that NO ONE owes me anything in this life! I am GRATEFUL for every coin of kindness, goblet of grace, and meal of mercy ever given me! Amen!