I approached a woman sitting on the curb, wanting to offer a bit of food.
She sat next to all of her belongings, one of our many
unsheltered relatives in Albuquerque.
As I got closer, I could see that she was meticulously
washing a pair of running shoes. They were cleaner than any shoes than I own.
“How are things going,” I asked.
She smiled.
“I really can’t complain,” she answered.
It wasn’t just words. I could tell that she meant what she
was saying.
As I walked away, I thought about all of the things I complain
about. I got even more specific and thought of the things that very day I had
complained about. And even more specific – the things I had complained about in
the last hour.
Here, this woman in a life situation where she has every
right to complain and yet she choses a very different way to see her day.
All of us can choose our path today, regardless of how good
or rough our situation. The path of complaining…or, the path of gratitude.
I am thankful for the reminder.
Excited to hear your reflections as well.
“ While complaining offers temporary emotional release, research shows that chronic complaining strengthens the brain's problem-finding pathways at the expense of its problem-solving abilities” - Nat Berman
ReplyDeleteComplaining is like a fire the more attention you give it the more it grows.
ReplyDeleteGratitude is the fire extinguisher and works like a charm.
T.