Spot of T ... ‘Moonshadows’
The laughter of your child, the hugs from your grandchild, a phone call from a good friend. All blessings for which to be grateful.
Iguess I would have to call myself an optimist. Yes, definitely, I’m an optimist. Put a glass in front of me and I will never call it empty. It always contains something – even if that something is just air. Let’s face it, air is a very important something. So, you see, there is always a positive spin on any given situation, in my estimation. Sometimes it may be very well hidden, but it is there.
It is no surprise, then, that one of my favorite songs is one that was penned in 1971 by Cat Stevens, called “Moonshadow.” This song could easily also be called “The Optimist’s Song.” The lyrics have stayed with me all these years. An excerpt from the song goes like this:
“…And if I ever lose my hands, lose my plough, lose my land,
Oh, if I ever lose my hands, Oh, I won’t have to work no more.
And if I ever lose my eyes, if my colors all run dry,
Yes, if I ever lose my eyes, Oh, I won’t have to cry no more…”
The song continues in a similar fashion, speaking of loss in one sentence, and in the next, offering hope of a bright side to that seemingly awful situation. So many times, I have thought of those lines, when dire or difficult situations have appeared in my life. I know we have all suffered adversity, pain and hardships. But through my journey in this life, I can honestly say that each of those obstacles has shaped me, molded me and even led me to the place I am now. And clearly, my journey, as with your journey, is not done. I continue to be led, sometimes by hardships and pain, but always to a better place, to the next stop on my amazing journey of life.
So how do you get to that place where the positive thoughts prevail? How do you avoid dwelling on struggles, mistakes and heartache? For me, it starts with gratitude. If you take a good look around, you will see that you have much for which to be grateful. Start with the basics – you have a roof over your head, food to eat, clothes to wear – as I said, the basics. Sometimes we take these things for granted … it’s easy to do, most of us have always had them. The laughter of your child, the hugs from your grandchild, a phone call from a good friend. All blessings for which to be grateful.
The act of being grateful quickly spreads to every aspect of your life, even if it is driven by small and seemingly trivial things. Driving to work each day, I’m grateful for no traffic jams, I’m grateful for green lights, I’m grateful for beautiful scenery. Small things. Yet, all are instrumental in a bigger prize, a safe commute to work.
Life is like that. Gratitude compounds and spreads to joy and contentment. There is a direct correlation, I have found, between gratitude and joy. You just have to connect the dots.
I like to think of each day as a clean slate. Yesterday is past and tomorrow hasn’t happened yet. So, focus on today. It’s very cliché, but the “present” is truly a gift. So, what will you choose to write on your slate? Starting your day with gratitude will help you shape the tone of your slate. Again, there is a direct correlation between gratitude and joy. And from there, it is a very short hop to positivity. You will find you are happier, you will see the good in people and events rather than the bad. You will choose to see that glass not half full, but overflowing.