These days, it’s often said that the world is a horrible place. That we are overrun by evil. The world has “gone to Hell in a hand basket.”. It’s not that hard to believe when you look around. The news outlets seem to be a revolving door of dystopian stories. Everywhere we look, we see the fingerprints of hate, of anger, of rage. It’s no wonder really that we are inundated with these things. The 24-hour new cycle thrives on it. It is dependent upon it. Bad news is shoved down our throats now more than any other time in history. All of this begs the question, is the world really that messed up, or are the people who control the flow of information just doing what they have to do to get one more click?
Whatever your thoughts on the matter, I believe there’s a more important question to answer. Where do we go from here? How do we fix it? People are quick to point out problems but seldom offer up solutions. What is the solution? The Christian in me says more Jesus. The American in me says more liberty. The Texas in me says more time in the wood shop with grandpa and more time in the kitchen with grandma. The realist in me knows that everyone experiencing these things is simply not our reality.
So then, where do we go from here? Kindness would be a good place to start. No one’s bad day has ever gotten worse because someone was kind to them. How about sympathy or, better yet, empathy. Put yourself in someone else’s situation. Perspective is also a good one. Seeing the glass half full, realizing that things may not be so bad. How about compassion? Putting your sympathy into action and doing good for those who need it. These are all great catalysts for change in this world.
Personally, I think it’s much simpler than that. When you boil all these things down to the raw ingredient that makes them a positive force in this world, you’re left with one thing.
Gratitude. It all comes down to gratitude. The Oxford dictionary defines gratitude as “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” To return kindness. If you’ve ever been grateful to someone because they were kind to you, you will inturn be kind to others. What a profound and wonderful thing. When you are grateful for the things in your life, you can empathize with those who have less. When you practice empathy, you begin to feel sympathy. That feeling leads you to compassion and, in turn, back to kindness.
It’s a flowchart in which every input leads to the same output, gratitude. Just be grateful and show your appreciation for the littlest of things. The wonderful thing about gratitude is that it improves the lives on both sides of every encounter. A grateful heart does not envy. It does not hate nor boast. A grateful heart is kind, compassionate, and content. But of all the great characteristics of gratitude, my favorite 2 are this. Gratitude can be taught and practiced. But above all else, gratitude is infectious. It can take root in your heart and in your soul. It can spread through you and into others. It is the single most important emotion for fixing so many of the problems that we face today.
Wake up grateful in the morning. Grateful for a new day and a new opportunity. Grateful that you even woke up when so many others will not. Be grateful for the little things. For the green light you caught. For the radio playing the perfect song. Or just the way that first sip of coffee hits on an early morning. Be grateful for the opportunity to show gratitude towards others. Just be grateful. Express your gratitude at every opportunity and watch every other emotion fall into place. Just. Be. Grateful
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