Food for the Soul
By
Dr. Lorraine Cassista

     Life is hectic and the holidays can certainly add to the burden. Some of us look forward to all the hustle and bustle the holiday season brings while others dread all of the hype. How can you express the feelings of love, peace and goodwill during the holidays, or anytime of year for that matter, while tending to the stressors life can throw your way? One way is by just being grateful and expressing that gratitude on a daily basis.

     I’ve mentioned the health and emotional benefits in other articles about writing in a journal to help express feelings and thoughts. Gratitude can also be kept in a journal. Oprah has made this activity extremely popular through her television program by featuring authors who recommend writing in a gratitude journal on a daily basis. Giving thanks is something I remember always having done. Receiving acknowledgment through thanks is very important to me, therefore, I try to make a point of giving thanks to others in return. Those two small words can mean so much. I feel very fortunate for the blessings and hardships I have experienced in my life. Granted I have not endured the extreme suffering of some, but have learned from the difficult times making me a stronger, more loving and thankful person. When we look at life through the lenses of gratitude and thankfulness, we create room for more good things in our lives. The focus is positive and helps bring the negative things into better perspective.

     I don’t think a day goes by without thanking my husband or children for something they have done. Whether it’s through a note, a special deed, or a simple thank you at the end of the day for the love, support, acceptance, acknowledgment or the filling of a small request, the good feelings generated by this positive action is very powerful. That’s not to say everything is always rosy without any upset, but even those times serve to allow me to take inventory.

    Why would you write what you are grateful for in a gratitude journal? Some things you are grateful for may not have anything to do with someone in your life you can thank. Sometimes you might just be grateful that you made it in time to miss the long line at the grocery store. I literally am thankful AT THIS VERY MOMENT for not having lost this article as my computer just froze. Thank goodness for automatic save! Writing at least five things for which you are grateful in a gratitude journal on a daily basis serves as a reminder of how truly fortunate we are. It helps put life into perspective and helps eliminate the effects of all of the small stuff that can get in the way of truly enjoying and appreciating all of the good things. It can strengthen our relationship with God and help us identify with our spiritual being. It can help us when we feel overwhelmed and depressed by the losses in our lives, the loss of a loved one, a promotion, a job, a relationship, our health, etc. These are all major events that can skew our view of the world when we do not balance it with the positives in our lives.

     These are hectic times even without the holidays. When we don’t take the time to “smell the roses” and feel and express the gratitude, we ignore the very seat of our souls. What better way to teach our children and ourselves to feed our souls than through expressions of gratitude and thankfulness for all we have in this lifetime. Many parents fear their children may be overindulged at Christmas and would like to simplify the holidays. May I suggest one of the gifts you give to your children, family and friends this year is a list of gratitude and pen and paper for them to do the same.