Gratitude Revisited

Nearly 2 years ago, I wrote a blog post called Got Gratitude. That post was fueled by a relationship change and some other events in my life at the time. I dedicated that post to my Grandmother who I loved and admired deeply.

Well, today would have been my Grandmother's 90th Birthday. She passed away on June 12th, 1995 right after she turned 75. So, I thought about her today, and thought it would once again be therapeutic to take stock in things in which I am grateful.

Followers of this blog probably know that my Brother Jonathan passed away 10 months ago. That event coupled with some other things has made this last year a very big challenge. I have found it difficult at times to process all of changes and found myself in despair. So, I just let it be and I returned to Gratitude.

I am very grateful for the obvious things; My friends who are always there to listen to me when I need to vent, but at the same time who are very honest with me; they tell me what I need to hear and not what I want to hear. Their actions are a constant reminder of the importance of friendship and cause me to strive to be a better friend.

I am grateful for a sport that has brought me together with some great people worldwide. It has provided me with an avenue to meet people and see places I otherwise might have never encountered.

I am grateful for all of my hard working/dedicated students that entrust me to coach them. I can honestly say few things are as rewarding as seeing a student gain confidence while making technical improvements in their lifts, and increasing their repetitions.

I am equally grateful for non-obvious things; I'm grateful for folks that I have encountered in business and in the sport that don't always act with integrity. These people remind me of how I should treat others. Their actions strengthen my resolve to be a better coach, better friend, and a better person.

While I can't say that I am grateful for my Brother's passing, I am grateful for some lessons I have learned. It did renew my resolve to live my life better and to the fullest. It was a wake up call for me in terms of how I spend my days on this planet now that I have gained some perspective on the tragedy. It is at least a part of the fuel for the changes that I am making now. In addition to that, it renewed my gratitude for my immediate and extended family. Even though I live 500 miles from most of my family, I have never felt closer to them.

So, once again, take inventory. If things aren't going the way you want, fall back to Gratitude and act accordingly. It works.

CI