Mission Possible - Being Grateful

JOYPic by mngl on Flickr

The mission from the Joy Rebels this week is to 'personalise' gratitude and discover what makes our world rock. (I might be getting a bit Zen and crystally in my old age). There are truly reasons to be grateful even when the world seems to be spinning out of control. It's time to focus on the positive, slap myself out of malaise, realise how wonderful my life and the people in it really are. I'm enjoying this assignment at Landcom. I'm writing policy and procedures and I find it easy and logical. Despite the low wage, I'm settling in and hope they keep me on a little longer. Since work gives me intellectual joy, well yeh . .I'm pretty cool with it. But still getting depressed and focusing on the negative . . . I'm really having trouble shaking it.

So that's the yukky stuff out of the way . .but as with all things, I have much, much, much, to be grateful for, bucketloads to be thankful for so lets see if this self-affirmation stuff is working:

I am grateful, no 'joyful' that I live in a free democracy where the biggest whine is whether gays should marry or women should be allowed to wear the hijab at school. I don't mean to trivialise these issues but we have free health and education for those who need it. Social security, good quality inexpensive food and freedom of speech. A multicultural society, a country that made it to Federation without a Civil War . . and whilst it's not perfect, I live in a free, liberal, socially democratic country where I can say what I like and vote with my feet. And so can everyone else!

I'm grateful for the ties that bind my family. Whilst they’re stretched a little at the moment, our blood will always be thicker than water

Unlike almost 30% of the globe, I have a roof over my head, a warm bed, food in my belly, running water and a flushing toilet. I am eternally grateful that I did not have the bad luck to be born in places like Darfour, or Afghanistan or any number of war torn and God-forsaken places where people are cold and hungry or exhausted and beaten.

I am eternally grateful for my daughter’s ability to talk sense, reason and optimism when I am wrist-slashingly depressed. It doesn’t happen often but it has happened a lot lately. She sees sense, the other side of the story, the glass half full and is proactive in providing solutions to what sometimes seem like insurmountable problems. Of course they're not. I just need her to keep telling me that I am worthy as my disbelief in my self-worth continues to manifest.

I'm grateful for a strong son whose physical labour (even if it comes at the price of the occasional temper tantrum) helps to keep my environment neat, tidy and under control. Both of us hate doing things alone so it’s hard to pin us down for a day of tidying and fixits but when it happens, it’s cheerful and cooperative and at the end of the day, ultimately satisfying. Next weekend, weather permitting, one more irritation - my incredibly messy yard and his incredibly messy bedroom will be sorted - until the next time of course!

I am also very grateful for robust health despite the fact that I abuse my body dreadfully. I know so many who suffer and those who care for them whether it's from chronic illness or pain. Many of these sufferers and their carers are much younger than I but never complain. They put up with their agony, face their demons and continue to be an amazing source of inspiration to me and others. As I age, I will never complain about my creaky knees or failing eyesight.

Not as exciting as some but I am grateful for my life experiences. Some have been negative and devastating. Others have been exhilarating and breath-taking. My life experiences have been ying and yang, they have given me balance. I am in that respect a true Libran with an ability to weigh the good against the bad. To see both sides of the argument and to develop empathy for others because in many cases, I have tasted a little of what they are going through!

I am also grateful for sunshine. And apart from the past month which has been uncharacteriscally grey and wet, the sun shines more often than not. Sunshine makes even the most gloomy outlook seem a little less so. It warms more than the skin, lights up my life and gives me a reason to be happy about my station in life.

I am very grateful for friends who persist with me despite the fact that I am largely a social recluse and often renege on invitations to go out (mostly due to finances but partly due to the fact that I just can’t be bothered much of the time). They persist, still call, drop by, call or email and I am forever in their debt.

I'm also grateful for younglings and oldlings who find the time to Twitter, email, talk to me on Skype and give me their perspective on life the universe and everything. For me, there is no generation gap. I have friends still in their teens and friends in their 80’s and that is a marvelous thing. I am indeed fortunate and as I heard a colleague today say 'Oh, leave all that computers stuff for the youngsters!" I couldn't but think that he was missing out on a whole world of challenge, information and communication.

Finally, I'm grateful for cheap wine! Yep, it has been my solace in the evening and barely dings the budget at $6.00 a bottle! Cheers!

And much friendship and support to Mrsupole who is undergoing shoulder surgery today, may your reason to be fearful turn into a reason to be cheerful and to Steph who is recovering slowly over at the Biopsy Report, to GrannyMar who's waiting for her new hips to swivel! To Gledwood who suffers from addiction and depression. To e who suffers so, that she's awaiting a new wheelchair to make life bearable. To Ebony, a young woman of colour in a very white place who has self-doubts but is so beautiful and talented and funny, to SubTorp who is a devoted carer, to K8 who loves her Laughing Boy but will never hear him speak . . .to Susan who has kiddy challenges through Autism . . . to the Merry Widow who's missing a daughter so far away, to Thommo and TheBoss who now are empty-nesters, to my long-suffering children who put up with my rantings and ravings and are indeed my joy . . to so many of you, who have a much harder time than I but exude joy and gratitude and love, give advice and consolation, humour and goodwill . . and last but by no means least to to Renee and iBeati who struggle with cancer every day but manage to be so inspirational cheerful and full of gratitude and joy that they make me look truly ungrateful. And you my friends, are indeed my joy! Ok I'm stopping now, you'll all need bigger hats if I keep this going.

So my little army of Joy? What makes you grateful, what rocks your world.