It was one of those days that my mind just wouldn't stop churning. Over and over I was ruminating on some issue that had me tied in knots. I really wanted to let it go, but beyond that, I wanted to simply enjoy a quiet walk in the woods and experience the beauty of nature around me. In that moment I had an idea that I would just thank the issue and the people involved and myself - all of it - for being present in my life.
It was miraculous how quickly things began to shift for me. I simply uttered the word "thank you" and immediately followed a pleasant vision or a thought of someone in my life, or a moment in my life, even with those persons with whom I had been upset a few minutes earlier, that brought a peaceful joy into my being.
I continued my walk in the woods and was literally laughing by the time I finished. The stream of smiling faces within my mind's eye was endless. All those precious moments otherwise overlooked. I had to wonder why my mind thought it so important to focus on the unpleasant issue.
Anyway, the gratitude prayer is quite simple and easy to remember. It goes like this: Thank you!
