Gratitude: A daily gift
Giving gratitude helps ground your day in goodness instead of lack, in harmony instead of tension, and it never stops letting in the light.
A forest illuminated along River Road in Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)
Autumn officially arrives Wednesday, and we've all been experiencing the cooler nights, the falling leaves, the later sunsets — all harbingers of a new season dawning.
As those familiar signs build upon one another, the relative peace in nature offers a striking difference against the news we see and hear every day, as it often does. From economic peril and racial divides, to political tensions and food insecurity, there can seem to be little hope on the horizon for the world to overcome obstacles, make progress, and succeed together. The news cycle often feels like a washing machine with a broken off-switch.
The constant barrage of these ideas can quickly feel overwhelming, crushing out the reality that we still have access to hope, love and harmony. But it is important to look for that sliver of light every day, and strive to see it. That light illustrates the ever-present goodness that fuels each of us to do better. Every day, at the center of that light, is an opportunity to give gratitude for what each of us has, instead of longing for what another has, or comparing material possessions. Though we may not realize it, that comparison-mode can give root to negative thinking — even divisive thoughts.
Each day, I give gratitude for where I live, the love and safety of my community, my health, and for each day that the sun rises and sets. This brings to mind a line from the famous Ernest Hemingway novel, "The Sun Also Rises" — “Don't you ever get the feeling that all your life is going by and you're not taking advantage of it?"
Giving gratitude helps ground your day in goodness instead of lack, in harmony instead of tension, and it never stops letting in the light. When that news-cycle washing machine revs up and it feels like too much, we can always mentally look up and know we have a way to be grateful and spread goodness — even when life is sending constant challenges. And we can inspire others to do the same, making gratitude a daily gift, from us, to the world.
— Gareth Henderson
The steady move into summer, like a river
As seasons grow and change, and new challenges come about, sharing the good we have is the path toward continued progress. It shows us, and teaches us, that light is always there.
The Ottauquechee River, as seen from River Road in Woodstock, Vt. (Gareth Henderson Photo)
In this year of progress, the seasons have come and gone at a rapid pace. But come and go they must — on Sunday, the first day of summer arrives. Life marches on, sustained by that profound, natural momentum we all can feel.
The transition from spring to summer is, indeed, the least pronounced of the seasonal changes. Though beautiful and always much-anticipated, the differences between fall, winter and spring are decidedly more stark.
But when it comes to human activity, like traveling and traffic, you see the change more clearly, especially with summer holidays coming up and people heading for outdoor adventures. While running some errands on Friday, I went down River Road by the Ottauquechee River in Woodstock, and saw a number of people walking and biking. The most noticeable change, though, was seeing a couple of groups enjoy the rope swing into the river. That's an activity I shared with family on a regular basis, while growing up in the area. That one observation showed me that, those favorite pastimes with friends and family don't disappear, they come back — just like the blooming flowers and vegetation we've seen all around us in recent weeks and months. That's part of that momentum, like a steady river current urging us toward progress, as the warm season advances and the post-pandemic era approaches.
Indeed, all these changes track with natural progress, a collective opportunity that can't be taken away from us. Sometimes, it seems hidden for a while, like the sun behind a group of foreboding clouds. But progress, goodness, love, compassion — they still abide there, cultivated in their abundance, and quietly doing their work as we press onward. Over time, these qualities gently urge us to learn from each other and grow as a result, sometimes against great headwinds.
At those times of struggle, when the path is steeper, it's most important to claim our innate goodness and trust it to guide us forward, knowing others will recognize it and correspond to it. As seasons grow and change, and new challenges come about, sharing the good we have is the path toward continued progress. It shows us, and teaches us, that light is always there.
— Gareth Henderson