Robin Volker

Gratitude is very powerful.   Years ago, in what seems like another lifetime for me, I came upon a difficult place in my journey.  Someone had behaved in a way that was very hurtful to me.   I felt lost, abandoned, scared, and very hurt.  It was a dark time, and depression and lethargy set in.  This was long before I knew about or understood these wonderful metaphysical principles that I have come to love and depend upon.  Yet in my despair, I somehow knew if I could only feel gratitude, I could right my ship.

On one particular morning when the emotional pain seemed about to strangle me, I sat in front of the window searching for something for which I was grateful.  My life was a mess, and the thoughts of being grateful seemed almost impossible.  My gaze fell upon the lawn of the apartment community where I lived.   From there, my eyes looked toward the sky, and then across the parking lot to where someone was walking a new puppy.  And I made a decision in that forlorn moment to be grateful on this particular day for these simple things:  the green grass, the blue sky, and the new life in the puppy.  And that was enough to help me get my day started.  That was enough to encourage me to get dressed and make an effort at life – my life.

Gratitude became my touchstone.  I began to turn to it again and again to help me to be grounded in the present moment, to help me to turn away from depression's dark hold, and to help me to attract what I desired in my life.  In time, I learned not only to practice this for myself, but to share this knowledge of the power of gratitude with others.   It is through consistent practice of gratitude that I have learned to be open to receive God's Goodness into my life, and amazingly, my life began to change.

What are you grateful for today?  If life isn't working for you, have you tried a simple gratitude journal?  Take a notebook of any kind, and each night before you turn out the light, make a list of things you are grateful for that day.  Think of the small things and the big things.   Tonight, I am thankful for clean sheets (I love clean sheets), a great yoga class, safe travels for my husband, fresh vegetables, and the long days of summer.   My list could go on and on.  Years of practice have made it easy to be find things for which I am grateful. 

Make your own list.  If you complete your day with these thoughts of gratitude in your mind, you will awaken in a better mood, with a happier outlook on the new day ahead, and your consciousness will be open to receive God's abundance.

No matter how dark or bleak our lives may seem, the power of gratitude can turn things around in rapid fashion.  Test it out for the month of July and let me know how it works for you.   I love to hear your success stories.  As I sign off for the evening, I complete my gratitude list for the day by saying I am grateful for you, my readers. 

With gratitude,

Rev. Robin