IF ONLY PEOPLE WERE AS GRATEFUL AS DOGS . . .As I gave my dog a small morsel of toast
other day, I reflected on how grateful a creature she is. Abby is just as thrilled to receive a crumb as she is to get a huge bone. She never complains that crumb is too small, or too cold or too moldy even! She always wants more, but if I don't offer it she gets over it quickly. No sulking around for what she didn't get.
Wouldn't it be nice if more people were that way? Not that people are never grateful, but most of time it's after an accident or a disaster. For example, after a fire you’ll often hear victims say, "We lost everything. But at least we're alive and still have each other." People are also grateful when they're frightened, hurt or down on their luck, and someone comes to their aid. Being on receiving end of kindness when you need it most, always evokes feelings of gratitude.
When you're in a grateful state of mind, your inner brat is essentially disabled. You feel open and receptive. You feel connected to world.
Being grateful for what you have is not just a more pleasant state of mind for moment. There are lasting benefits, both mental and physical. Dr. Robert Emmons, a psychologist who specializes in research on gratitude, found that:
* People who kept a daily "gratitude journal" reported higher levels of alertness, enthusiasm and energy, than those who journaled about hassles or neutral events. This was case even among people with neuromuscular disease.
* Grateful people report higher levels of life satisfaction and optimism.
* They also are more likely to share their possessions and to help others in need, thereby increasing their feelings of involvement and being appreciated themselves.
* They are less envious, less resentful, less bitter, and less neurotic. They are also less materialistic.
* Grateful people do not ignore problems. If anything, they may be somewhat more cynical than average. While they may anticipate more difficulties, they are also thankful when other people help make their life easier.
