Writer’s Quote Wednesday – GRATITUDE

Hello and welcome to my blog! It’s Writer’s Quote Wednesday. Gratitude is a feeling or attitude in response to something good. I also believe that gratitude is a virtue because being grateful is a morally positive character trait.

Some people . . . many people, spend their time griping and complaining about the objects they don’t have, and the places they’ll never visit, and things they’ll never do. They don’t put anywhere near as much time and energy appreciating the people in their lives or what they do have. I don’t want to be like those people (although sometimes I can be).

It occurred to me that we don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving, Christmas or any other huge holiday to tell others and ourselves what we are thankful for. I decided that today I will do that and I will begin with the so-called ‘little things‘.

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1/ Toilet Paper

Did you know that before toilet paper people used stones, pieces of clay, sponges, and corncobs to wipe their––you know? Ouch! Quilted Northern, formerly Northern Tissue, advertised as late as 1935 that their toilet paper was “Splinter-Free!” So, the first rolls of toilet paper had splinters? I’m so grateful for my soft, absorbent, splinter-free Charmin toilet paper.

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2/ Bottled Water (clean water in general)

I don’t know about you guys but I go through at least 6-8 (16 oz.) bottles of water a day. I can’t imagine living in countries like Ethiopia where women and children are burdened with the task to get water. Sometimes walking up to six hours to collect water from unprotected pools of water that may be contaminated. I’ll never complain about having to go to the corner supermarket to get water again.

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3/ My Bed

You’d be surprised how many people don’t have decent beds or mattresses. Would you like to know what it’s like not to have a bed? Go camping for a weekend––you’ll miss your bed . . . trust me.

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4/ My shower (running hot water)

If people in countries like Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Laos . . . don’t have enough clean, sanitized water, do you think they have showers with running hot water? I don’t think so. I can’t imagine going to work with bed-head and skin that smells like night sweat. 

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5/ My iPhone

I have books, news, information, weather and traffic reports at my fingertips! Thank you Steve Jobs! I’m glad you bounced back after being fired from your own company.

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There are so many things I am grateful for, like my husband, family, my fluffy baby Scribbles, friends, online blogging buddies, writing, readers, the fact that there hasn’t been a hurricane in Florida in the last few years, my new house, Pinterest  . . . I could go on and on.

For those of us living in free countries where there is plenty of food, clean water, freedom of speech and religion, entertainment and beauty––lets stop complaining about the things we don’t have and live life with gratitude for what we do have, because if we think about it, we have so much.

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“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.”

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Colleen Chesebro is a writer, poet, and book reviewer. She hosts an inspiring event every Wednesday on her blog, Silver Threading, called Writer’s Quote Wednesday. Anyone can participate by choosing a quote by a favorite writer and posting it on your blog.

Ronovan, from Ronovan Writes and Colleen have joined forces! He has been linking his #BeWoW blog share (Be Wonderful on Wednesday) now to include: Be Writing on Wednesday. If you would like to combine both posts feel free to do so and link them to Colleen’s post. She will make sure and add you to the quote wrap-up she does each Tuesday. Please make sure and check out Ron’s blog for more writing inspiration and motivation!

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What are the ‘little things’ you’re grateful for?

Have a wonderful day!