virtue – carlaryan.com

Many of the prayers Jesus spoke (according to the Bible) began with “thank you.” A prayer of thanks or gratitude is a good practice to follow, especially when life is not manifesting according to plan.

Before I even rise from the bed, I begin my day with the acknowledgement and gratitude of waking up to another day. I breathe. I am alive. There are mornings when I awake in time to see the pink of sunrise or the afterglow of the full moon before the dawn. The exhaustion I felt the night before has been erased and my energy is restored; for that alone I am thankful. Shortly thereafter, I am lovingly served a cup of coffee by my husband and together we share a spiritual reading that gives us a common focus and consideration. I often find it difficult to leave this morning space of sharing, appreciation, and loving companionship.

Whether the day is filled with special tasks, heavy chores, professional responsibilities, or fun activities, you and I get to choose how we will attend to such matters and with what frame of mind. An “attitude of gratitude” can make any situation lighter and your awareness more positive.

The stress of a hard day at the office can be replaced with gratitude for employment. Disgruntled thoughts about a long commute home in the snow quickly disappear when you see a homeless person sleeping on a sidewalk in the midst of winter. The pressure of bills to pay can subside when a paycheck is automatically deposited into your bank account. Feelings of loneliness quickly disappear in the hugs of a grandchild. Even if the starting point of gratitude is being thankful for your breath, for life, for the food you’ve just eaten or the shelter in which you live, it can be enough to change thoughts of lack into appreciation for what exists. Once gratitude is felt and embodied, that feeling of abundance, in its smallest form, can magnify what is present and attract even more Good into your life.

Meister Eckhart is credited with saying that, if the only prayer we ever said was “thank you” – that would be enough. I say, he’s right. There’s far too much complaining going on. I know I must be constantly vigilant in this matter. It’s time to appreciate all we have in our lives – past, present, and future possibilities. Every moment is the right time to express sincere gratitude. And in so doing, watch and experience our worlds attract greater good and expand beyond our wildest imaginings!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

According to the definitions offered on Wikipedia…PRIDE is “an inwardly directed emotion that carries two common meanings.” First, with a negative connotation, pride refers to “an inflated sense of one’s personal status or accomplishments, often used synonymously with hubris [extreme arrogance].” Second, and with a positive connotation, pride refers to “a satisfied sense of attachment toward one’s own or another’s choices and actions, or toward a whole group of people, and is a product of praise, independent self-reflection, or a fulfilled feeling of belonging.”

While I’ve been aware of the first definition since childhood, I prefer the second meaning, and here’s why…

I believe that having ‘pride’ in one’s community – whether it be where you live, go to school, your church or work, or participation in a cause – pride creates a bond for the Good of that group. As a group that is proud of their connection, people tend to take greater care of their community and one another. There’s a positive connection of belonging, of being united, of having one focus. We grow in the process.

Groups identify themselves in various ways; you see it everywhere. Sports teams have their mascots. Businesses have their logos. Schools have certain colors. Churches have a symbol of faith. Employees wear name badges. Professions have uniforms. It doesn’t matter what the identifier is; it matters that we can identify one another because of these symbols. We recognize our connecting interest to such groups through these visual signs. What about the invisible signs of individual pride?

One way to express individual pride (invisibly) is to do your best or be your best – the best expression of who you are. You can complete a task or job to the best of your capability and knowledge. You can leave a campsite (this earth) better than you found it. You can bring love, peace and joy to a situation where there was none. You can express yourself through your talents, your personal style, your beliefs, how you care for your body or home, and/or the way you live in the world.

Pride starts from within you…how you feel about yourself…and radiates outward. The negative description of pride is the result of an inflated sense of self; it never goes beyond the individual’s ego. The positive definition is when one feels that sense of pride within and shares it with the rest of the world in a generous and healthy way. We are all unique so our individual expression of this “virtue” is also distinctive.

In what ways do you show pride in the world – for yourself or with others? Perhaps some independent self-reflection can empower you to express in expanded ways and, thus, benefit you and the world.