Living with the Light to Shine With Gratitude

One of the first memories about my mother teaching me was to say thank you. When someone gave you something or did you a favor, say thank you. To me, that was a polite thing to do. That was the right thing to do. I did it out of habit, without fully recognizing the true meaning of gratitude.

As I got older, I realized that gratitude is more than words. It is a feeling, an experience that you genuinely appreciate and value something or someone. Gratitude is something you experience from within. You do not have to say it out loud. You can choose to acknowledge quietly what you are grateful for.

When I am grateful, things seem to open for me, starting with my own body. The sensation of having a center originated from the middle of my chest that radiates outward in all directions – that sensation that is peaceful, joyful and hopeful all in one. That sensation which is warm and colorful – not bright colors, but natural. It is as if I have traveled to my favorite scenery of the ocean front, on a sunny day with a light breeze brushing against my hair. I look at the horizon with this distinct line dividing the jade-green ocean and the clear blue sky. There are no clouds. The sun is giving out just enough heat that is not scorching, that is not causing a sunburn. The lazy waves at the shore are responsible for the background noise. I can sit here all day. That is my picture of gratitude. It brings me immense joy to be grateful. I even feel my eyes smile when I am grateful.

Gratitude is an attitude you get to choose to have at any time. It does not have to be confined in good times. The more your practice gratitude, the easier it is to spot something to be grateful for. Why bother practicing gratitude in challenging times? The answer is, you do not have to. It is again your choice. Choosing gratitude makes things feel lighter. It allows you to focus on what you have despite difficult situations. I learned this from my oncology patients. There are patients who are always complaining about everything – about how things should be, about how certain things are not as expected. Then there are patients who accept their situation and are grateful for even the simplest things, things which most people take for granted.

When you stop “should-ing”, you get to find even more things to be grateful for. Yes, you probably have an idea of how you want things to be like, or how things “should be” according to your book of life. No one says life has to go according to your self-made textbook. Every day is a gift. No matter how much you prepare, things will not always go as planned. That is life and that is alright. Appreciate what you have. Control what you can control.

How does it feel when you are grateful for something or someone? I invite you to close your eyes and meditate on it. Where do you feel the strongest in your body? What temperature is it? Is it still or flowing? Is there any color? How else do you see or feel it?

Gratitude brings us more joy in life. It also lets us have more peace. When you do not take things for granted, when you see and appreciate others, it brings you peace. It is also easier for you to experience love – love for others and love for yourself.

Having a grateful heart and practicing gratitude every day is like riding on a zipline from high above. You get to overlook a big and wide region. You cannot see the limits while you travel. You get to appreciate and absorb all that you see. You get to be connected in real time with all those things. When you are grateful, you get to have more connection with your goal. It is easier for you to recognize and appreciate what is in the works to get you closer to your goal.

Choose gratitude over grumpiness. Yes, it is a choice. We can choose not to take things for granted. We can choose to appreciate what is around us. When you are using your mind and your body to experience gratitude, you will shine with it, from inside out. People around you will experience that touch of warmth, that connection without an agenda. That is what we can add in practicing medicine – gratitude for your patients, your staff and yourself.