I recently read a book by Rhonda Byrne called The Magic, which focuses on the magic words "thank you".
The idea of the book is to look at all aspects of our lives, one day at a time, with a sense of gratitude. I noticed that in following the program, my attitude changed. I realized that I do have a great deal to be thankful for, and I have become happier. I could see that even in difficulties there were blessings to be thankful for.
I then began to reflect on the power of gratitude and to think about where else I have read about it. Victor Frankl wrote about it in his classic Man's Search for Meaning. Frankl was a Jewish psychiatrist living in Vienna, Austria when the Holocaust began. He managed to survive despite being surrounded by death in some of the most notorious concentration camps.
How did he do so? He controlled his thoughts, the one freedom that could not be taken away from him, by focusing on life after he would be released from the camps, and by always finding things to be thankful for.
At one point, while marching with other inmates and being threatened by Nazi guards, Frankl began to think about his wife and the love they had for each other. Though he did not know if his wife was even alive, he knew that nothing could take away the tender and beautiful love they had for each other. He realized that he held a treasure in his heart and he was grateful.
At another time, Frankl was being transferred to another camp in the crowded cattle car of a train. When he and the other inmates pulled up to the new camp and realized that there were no huge chimneys, and thus no crematorium, they were so grateful that they cheered. Imagine, pulling up to life in a concentration camp and finding something to be grateful for!
Frankl concluded that gratitude is like a gas entering a vacuum chamber. No matter how little there is to be grateful for, it expands to fills the void.
Having lived in Africa, I was always amazed at how easily people smiled and laughed, despite the economic and political chaos that surrounded them. In working at a home for street children, I remember being overwhelmed by the joy expressed with the gift of a new soccer ball, new clothes or even a bottle of pop. The joy was infectious and these experiences are really among the happiest of my memories.
No matter how little we may think we have, no matter how big we think our problems are, if we are truly conscious of our blessings and are grateful for them, a tremendous feeling of joy fills us and completes us. Living in a developed country, we have a tremendous amount to be thankful for. How much of the world does not have clean, running water? Did even the wealthiest of our ancestors have hot water or central heating? Did they have entertainment at the push of a button? Just go through your day and say "thank you" for every good thing, and then observe how amazing you feel.
Life really is beautiful.
