To Be Grateful

Sabriya Simon's oasis of gratitude has made it possible for each of us to remain continually conscious of our tangible and intangible blessings. This multifaceted, island girl provides an unconventional form of therapy through her Facebook page, To Be Grateful.

Do you think you have nothing to be grateful for? Does it seem as though you are on a quest to recover your once grateful heart? If so, your problem has been solved. "To Be Grateful..." Provides the gateway to fostering a life of gratitude, by encouraging us to number and express our blessings, in this quickly growing Facebook group. To date, the group has a following in excess of 1000 members, who frequently and intimately share their expressions of gratitude. "To Be Grateful..." offers enlightenment in the midst of despair, hope when there seems to nothing but hopelessness, and light in the midst of darkness. In addition, Sabriya's calm spirit and eloquent prose are blessings that transport us from the realm of despair, to a place where only a grateful heart could take us, a place of peace.

In one especially inspiring post Sabriya wrote:

To rise and give thanks for the simple giving of thanks... looking at the grey skies and still feeling grateful... because as grey and cloudy as the morning is... fact is... I'm present in it... grateful for Life and the opportunity to grow and challenge myself... grateful for patience... grateful for the friends that I can call family... grateful for my process... Divinely aligned... grateful once again for another day's journey. ÔøΩÔøΩ

Many times we are grateful for material possessions or what we can give, but clearly the gift of simply being should be celebrated in thankfulness. The fact that one can give thanks is enough to be thankful for. However, once you browse the posts, you are guaranteed to click the ever popular "like" tab and declare, "I'm grateful for that too!" This project truly reflects the positive energy that exudes from her enlightened soul, and compels us to be enlightened as well. Most importantly, it gently urges, gently nudges us to be grateful in all things. When life is favourable it's easy to be grateful, but the test is in the struggles. When the struggles appear, we often abandon all of our blessings to focus on the problem, rather than how we are being maintained, the lesson, and the purpose. This is where "To Be Grateful" comes to the rescue. The group fosters continuous awareness in good times and in challenging times.

In addition, we are often quick to complain and speak of the negative. Instead of shouting our gratitude in joy, we stifle our blessings and dwell in misery, often by choice. The reality is that we are incapable of being truly grateful when we hold grudges, when we harbour negative feelings, and when we engage in negative speech. The more we speak of the negative, the more the negative manifests. We need to realize that there is power in speech and utterance. It was Pearl Strachan who said, "Handle them carefully, for words have more power than atom bombs." Our thoughts become our words and our words dictate our attitude. What we speak becomes a part of the fabric of our existence. Yes, utterances of gratitude change perspectives, emotions, and lives. Sabriya has made us aware that much abounds for which we ought shout for joy, and for that we give thanks.

Photo Credit To Sisters Running The Kitchen