grateful?
Can gratefulness be measured?
Can a once-widowed woman’s appreciation for new love be compared to the joy of a late-blooming romance?
Can a woman whose quiver is full be any more grateful than a woman who finally gives birth to a long-awaited child?
Does having little make one more grateful for the little things than having much makes you grateful for the big things?
Is a little child in her innocence and delight more grateful than an adult in her boredom with too much stuff?
Are we more grateful if we count them, if we write them down, than if we just see them and give thanks?
Does a surprise generate more gratefulness than a long-anticipated gift?
Can gratefulness be measured with words? Can gratefulness be measured by time or by trouble?
Do we lessen gratefulness by trying to compare, to measure it?
Hmm … now I’m thinking!
Reading your post, I was busily comparing this gratitude with that gratitude, but when I got to the end I was wondering if, as you say, “we lessen gratefulness by trying to compare, to measure”. As a single woman in my late twenties, it’s easy to slip into the trap of thinking “I’ll be soooooo grateful for a husband and some cute, little people”; but, really, that doesn’t mean I’ll be MORE grateful than an eighteen-yr-old wife and young mother. We’ll just be grateful in different ways – and probably for slightly different things. The important thing, I guess, is that we’re all grateful for the blessings we’re (all) given.
I was doing the same thing while writing it–comparing the gratitude, and, finally, realizing it really couldn’t be compared…
This is so good! Some of those questions I don’t think can be answered.
Comparing gratefulness…is this any different than comparing devotion or “goodness”? 馃檪
I strongly believe that it isn’t the writing that makes one grateful, but the taking time to stop and notice…to breathe in gratefulness. Writing it down just helps us to remember that we are blessed, and that we do have so much to be grateful for, and yet it would be better to just stop and give thanks than to write and forget the real reasons for being grateful.
Amen!
Your questions do cause a pausing to reflect. I think acceptance of a gift is more important than comparing is one gift better than another. Is that what you are trying to help us realize? In the busyness of my life, if I don’t slow down and acknowledge the every day gifts; I tend to over look these gifts and discontent tries to find a place to grow. By accepting the gifts as they come and recognizing their worth in my life, I can more easily keep my heart full of gratitude.
I honestly didn’t start out with a point in mind, but I guess that was the point I came to. I really intended to tell the story of watching my girls compare the sunglasses I’d given them, but that didn’t end up happening in 5 minutes. 馃檪 I did tell it on my blog today, though: https://gretchenlouise.com/2011/07/the-gray-sunglasses/
Yes, you made me think. In my own life, I have found that acknowledging the things to be grateful for, leads me to a deeper appreciation of what I have been given. The more willing I am to be thankful, the more I see that I have to be thankful for. Thank you for sharing.