Cultivating Abundance and Perspective

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“Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life.” – Rumi

When I wrote the post the other day about The Games We Play, Jane Fritz (of the delightful, informative, and inspiring Robby Robin’s Journey blog) posed the question of why kids act that way. We bandied about some ideas like competition, and while I don’t know the answer, it made me observe my kids a little more closely to find some clues.

My completely unscientific survey of my little family, and I’m including myself in these results, reminded me of a couple things – that we don’t come hard-wired with a sense of abundance and that it takes some work to see a bigger picture.

The method that works again and again for me on both these points is to be grateful. And I say again and again because somehow I forget and have to find my way back to my gratitude practice. This makes me think of a quip that Brené Brown made on the subject – that having yoga clothes in her closet didn’t qualify to make her a yogi and neither does knowing the concept of gratitude make her grateful – it has to be practiced.

So, needing to cultivate the feeling of abundance and perspective, here’s my gratitude list today:

Let’s start with the basics – that I’m awake, alive, and typing this.
For the science and people that remind me that it’s also good to write things out longhand sometimes.

I’m grateful that spring has come to our neck of the woods to warm my bones.

That I got to sit in the warm evening last night and watch my kids in their uninhibited nakedness run around the back yard and squirt each other with (warm) water guns.
That they didn’t squirt me.
That when they need a break, they run into my arms, wet, out of breath, and loving life.

For the smell of BBQs coming out for the first time in Spring and wafting into my yard.

That I was able to do yoga this morning and since I was alone, groan and moan through all the tight places in my body.
That doing yoga reminded me of how grateful I am for my body that I often forget to thank for all that it does well.

For my neighbor that has planted an incredible garden of tulips and daffodils so that I slow down and enjoy it every time we go past.

For the neighbor that surprised me with a loving touch on my back at Costco and asked me to grab something from the top shelf. And for the warmth lingered long after the conversation ended.

For the warmth that exists between people.

For friends, near and far, that share their stories and lives with me.
That I get to talk with them about the things I haven’t even begun to process and then receive their wisdom.
That I’ve gotten old enough to be able to receive wisdom.

For the quiet feel of my house early in the morning.
For the way the glow of the candles I light each morning as I meditate makes me feel lit from within.
That I’m able to find peace at least once or twice a day.

For words like momentous and singular that wake me up to my experience.

That words come pretty easily for me.

For the tenor and vibration of male voices, the light touch of female voices, and the joy in young voices.
For my five senses that vie for attention and also allow me to shut my eyes and open my ears for a different experience.

For old friends that remind me of my journey through this life.
For new friends that come with that opportunity of discovery.
For the way we are all connected.

For the joy on my daughter’s face when she learned to whistle this week.

That I can ask Alexa to play Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah anytime I want.

For Jack Canfora’s gratitude list: Dear Lord, Not Another Post on This Blog About Gratitude and  WritingfromtheheartwithBrian’s 100 Things I Love that inspire me.

For the opportunities that I have to keep growing.

For the technology that allowed me and Vicki to have a podcast conversation with blogger, Brenda Harrison, from three different timezones and locations and then post it so that others can be delighted and inspired by her energy and enthusiasm. (Episode 15 of the Sharing the Heart the Matter podcast – listen and subscribe!)

That this blogging journey has allowed me to meet and converse with so many interesting people from all over.

For the hour I’ve spent writing this list and that the power of gratitude will touch me every time I go back to edit it and extend with each comment.

(featured photo from Pexels)

56 thoughts on “Cultivating Abundance and Perspective”

  1. Ah yes…”For the warmth that exists between people”…even when…especially when…times are tough. Remembering that undercurrent…even when it’s cloaked… pulls me through – every time. Thank you, Wynne! 💕

    Liked by 4 people

  3. Given the inspiration in this post this morning Wynne, I will share my gratitude for the very pink arms and nose I noticed just before jumping in the shower this morning. A one hour walk around noon yesterday in the glorious sun has left its evidence on my body as a reminder that it’s been months since the sun has been impactful for us 😉

    Liked by 4 people

  5. I could feel myself relax as I read, and graduate into a grateful frame of mind. I sensed also that as you wrote, your joy increased. Is that the case? I am grateful for sun and for a successful poetry night at Eagle’s school last night that I organized with the school librarian and several parents. Fifty people came and 17 readers from 6 to 60 years old read, including the poet laureate of Madison!

    Liked by 3 people

  6. Wynne, what a beautiful and inspiring way to start the day. I’m continually amazed at how, when we step back, it’s not the huge accomplishments the necessarily make the cut, but often those tiny moments of joy, appreciation, and human connection. Life is filled with goodness and beauty (and lovely spring bulbs) if we just take a moment to look around. 💕

    Liked by 4 people

  8. It’s a gorgeous list, Wynne! This is my favorite part. “they run into my arms, wet, out of breath, and loving life”. I think we are born hard-wired with a sense of abundance. We don’t have to learn it; we have to constantly work to remember it. How lovely will it be when we achieve a society that embraces it so completely, the struggle to remember who we really are does not consume the journey.

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    1. Thank you, Susan! Perhaps we’re born with it – but it seems that by the time the sense of self develops that it’s gone unless we cultivate it. But as I said, that’s a very unscientific survey… 🙂 Thanks for the comment!

      Liked by 1 person

  9. I agree with the other commenters, feel light and joyful just by reading this post and your list Wynne. You’re so right, it’s so funny to think of all the wonderful people that I’m met through WordPress. I started my blog as a chance to write, it’s neat to see how it’s evolved into a community. So very grateful and glad to have found so many great friends like you Wynne. Happy Friday.

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  10. Beautiful post Wynne. I wanted to take a bit of time to think about how to respond. First of all, thanks for including me in your list. 💗

    Kit is surprising how many positive things we can identify for which we’re grateful for that bring us joy. As has been observed by others, taking the time to identify these special things makes is happy and sets us up in a positive mood for the day. I hope your positivity has set you up for a good day, and extends into the weekend.

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  11. Wonderful post, Wynne, and thanks for the shoutout. Your gratitude list shines with the message that, in reality, you love your life. It doesn’t get any better than that. I particularly enjoyed two observations. First, that we don’t come hardwired with a sense of abundance; that made me smile! And, secondly, that it’s good to be able to write things out in longhand every once in awhile. I completely agree, but young people are no longer being taught to write in longhand! Their loss!! 😏

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    1. Jane, I love your observations – especially that I love my life. You know – you’re right! Thanks for helping me remember that as well! I’m so grateful you told me the ones that stood out for you. Hope you have a great weekend!

      Liked by 1 person

  13. Have you read Martin Seligman’s book “Flourish.” Your post reminded me of his exercise called “Three Blessings.” He said at the end of each day to write three things you are grateful for (big or small) and then describe why they happened. He said he tried this with his students at U Penn and with patients and after months of doing this it’s as effective as meds.

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  14. “Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life.” – Rumi was on to something big! To a significant degree our emotional, mental and physical well-being are determined by our gratitude quotient. Thanks for reminding us to work on our lists everyday! And thanks for sharing what is on your list and I hope you continue to grow it each day! Cheers to a beautiful Friday!

    Liked by 3 people

  15. What a marvelous list, Wynne. I often find myself being grateful for (not so) small things, like a light that goes on with the flip of a switch, or the water that flows from the turn of a faucet, or for the driver of the 18-wheeler who transports my food from one place to another. When all else fails, gratitude turns a grey day sunny and a sad heart happy. One can never have enough gratitude! Thanks for the reminder.

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    1. Oh, Julia – those are wonderful things to be grateful for otherwise I forget about them. A grey day sunny and a sad heart happy – beautifully said. Thank you, my friend!

      Liked by 1 person

  16. This is a lovely list, Wynne – and I can see that warm glow of the candle vividly in my mind.

    You are right that it’s simply not enough to know it, to say it but we need to practice it. During my morning walk to the bus stop to work, I always list three things I’m grateful for from the previous day and I find that my mood just lifts and I feel so grounded and centred again.

    It really is a wonderful tool!

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    1. Wow, I love that you tie it to your walk. What a great way to anchor the habit – and then as you say, get grounded and centered. No wonder you are so delightful!

      Thank you, Ab! Hope you all have a great weekend!

      Liked by 1 person

  18. “That they didn’t squirt me.” Haha! Watching them running around naked and uninhibited and joyful must be how God viewed Adam and Eve before the Fall.
    The neighbor at Costco… awhh. The warmth between people-Yes!!
    That you’ve gotten old enough to be able to receive wisdom. Even in that is so much wisdom!
    “For the tenor and vibration of male voices, the light touch of female voices, and the joy in young voices.” What a great observation!
    So wonderfully thorough of REAL things to be grateful for, rather than superficial things, but ‘superficial things’ doesn’t exist in your lexicon. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  20. All nakedness should be uninhibited.

    I swear that’s not my only takeaway from this thoughtful post of yours…just the one that stuck out the most for me, ha. Let’s not delve into that too deeply.

    I also love that you have Alexa play “Hallelujah.” Pretty sure we use ours 90% for music, too.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I’m so glad I read this comment right now because it reminded me to turn on the music!

      And I promise not to analyze your comment but just be grateful for it! 🙂

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