An Antidote for Sorrow

Thanksgiving Break was simple and absolutely glorious.

I slept in, went on nice, long runs by myself, ate delicious food, caught up on some reading assignments, did homework, watched movies (including The Glass Menagerie and Newsies, both fantastic films), relaxed, talked with old friends and new ones, talked with family, and did some good ol' writing. It always feels good to write.

I got to spend Thanksgiving dinner at my bishop's cozy home in Lexington, VA just 15 minutes away from Buena Vista. The food was fantastic and it was nice to be in a cozy home. They gave me leftovers that lasted me three meals! I was grateful for that.

One night, Friday night, I made the mistake (or is it?) of writing just before bed, which of course got the crazy wheels turning in my head and I accidentally stayed up until 4 in the morning writing. Here is one of the poems that resulted from that joyous writing spree:

If I could only thank the Lord

for everything in sight,

I’d thank him endlessly

through the day and through the night.

Each breath is a blessing,

each smile a gift

but still I am asking

the question of "if."

If  I could thank the Lord

for these blessings galore…

but wait! I can!

I can, and there’s more!

For by living His standards,

obeying His truths,

I show Him I’m thankful

for this is the proof.

For out of gratitude we love

and out of love we obey,

so in word and in deed,

thank the Lord every day.

Granted it still has some rough patches. But it's a good start for a 3 AM poem, I suppose. 

I hope you enjoyed :) Thanks for stopping by.

Quote for thought:

"When you make the decision to be grateful, you make the decision to be happy."

   When I was a little girl, I remember learning about the ten lepers who Jesus healed and how only one of those lepers came back to say thank you. As a little girl, this struck me hard. I can remember the very classroom I was in when I learned this. It made me so sad that only one of them had thanked the Lord. I am so grateful that at that young age I was able to recognize the importance of being thankful and expressing thanks. Of course I didn't realize this on any brilliance on my behalf, but was taught it by my mother and father. I think part of the reason I've been happy throughout most of my life is because of my decision to be grateful. Gratitude drives out sorrow and hate, jealousy and bitterness, pride and feelings of inadequacy. I was reflecting upon this just a few weeks ago, and that is when I realized the power of gratitude, and that gratitude is an antidote for sorrow. When you make the decision to be grateful, you truly do make the decision to be happy.